A/N: I’ve been leaving myself breadcrumbs to follow so I don’t forget where I left off in case I drop off the face of the planet (again) 😅😎 Also y’all might wanna reference Part 6…for reasons😉
Warnings: Captive/hostage situation, past violence, past injuries, past destruction, past murder, emotional turmoil/anxiety, rage, hopelessness, vengeance, hostage situation, taunting, and me not editing this.
My Masterlist | Taglist Info or Taglist Request Form | Mirth’s Ebenezer masterlist
Mirth groaned. A sharp unrelenting pain pulsed behind her closed eyes. Her tongue was as dry as the desert. All she knew was pain and limbs as heavy as an anchor. She forced her eyes to open, an effort that brought her only hazy vision and a furiously beating heart like she’d climbed the tallest mountain.
The next time Mirth peeled her eyes open, she managed to stay awake long enough for her vision to focus. But it wasn’t until the third time she clawed her way out from the clutches of her unconscious that she was able to gain any sense of herself and her surroundings.
Metal bars and a dimly lit room beyond them met her gaze. The thin cushion beneath her did nothing to comfort her aching body from the harsh platform beneath her. Attempting to lift herself into a sitting position exposed the handcuffs that bit into her wrists. Worse than that was the empty feeling in her gut and the hollowness of her veins.
Power suppressing cuffs. If she had any energy left to muster her powers, she wouldn’t be able to anyway. Fantastic.
“I see you’re going to stay awake this time.” A voice drawled.
Mirth’s eyes flit toward the sound and searched through the shadows for the figure that surely accompanied it.
“Oh, you won’t find me,” they said. “I’ve better things to do than sit by your sickbed, as I’m sure you know. Did you like your homecoming?”
Mirth opened her mouth. Her tongue and lips cracked from how dehydrated she was. Still, she tried to speak. “W…who are you?”
Her throat felt like fire, and her words were slow. Just how long had she been unconscious? Mirth wracked her brain, but her memories were scattered and stilted. She knew she’d been captured—obviously, or else why would she be stuck here in a cell?
“Oh, Mirth, you wound me! I know you know me,” they laughed. “Then again, perhaps you don’t know me. I was before your time after all, so I guess it’s not your fault.”
What? Were they just spewing nonsense to mess with her head? Wasn’t being held captive enough punishment for her failure to protect the city?
Mirth swallowed against her dry throat. Her voice crackled and came out like a strained whisper, but she needed to keep them talking, if only to confirm who she was up against. “And I should care why?”
Mirth’s heart beat weakly, keeping time in the silence that followed.
“Forgive me for being rude. You must be thirsty. Using so much of your power must’ve left you drained. You know, I wonder if you have any power left at.” If that wasn’t accompanied by a sneer, Mirth would’ve questioned the villain’s motive for adding that. But the tone was wrong. It almost sounded sympathetic. Was Supervillain—if Mirth was correct in assuming the voice belonged to them—capable of empathy?
“Let’s just get this over with,” Mirth replied. “Show yourself, coward. It’s not like I can do anything to you.”
The only response Mirth received was laughter. Not a cynical laugh, or one of disbelief. But just laughter, like she’d shared a joke with her friend and they’d found it as funny as she had. Her face twisted into a frown as she assessed what she knew of her circumstances.
She’d been captured outside the city—the razed city. Her captor had a solid grasp of technology, and likely had a vast amount of resources or power or both in order to destroy such a large area in such a short amount of time plus send a small detachment to eliminate them at the court’s safe house.
The only person who wanted to do those things was Supervillain. The voice had to belong to them. There was no other option. Her assumption had to be right, or they were all in deeper trouble than they knew.
Mirth flinched at the clang that rang through the room on the other side of her prison. She forced her legs over the side of the cot she was on. Her head spun from the exertion and she let herself lean against the wall for support. Even if she didn’t feel strong in this moment, she at least needed to look better off than she was.
Her forced appearance didn’t last long. A bright light flicked on, filling her prison and the space beyond. Blinded, Mirth’s eyes snapped shut. Turning her head, Mirth’s hands flew up to block her eyes. As a set of footsteps drew nearer, Mirth forced herself to open her eyes. Then, to turn her head and crack her eyes open.
“Disorienting, isn’t it? Not having control over when the lights turn on or off, or when you eat, or even when you see sunlight.” A figure decked out in a dark supersuit approached her cell with a bottle of SportsDrink+ and a pack of crackers in hand. “I don’t miss it.”
Mirth studied them. There wasn’t anything that stood out in particular, but there was no doubt. This was Supervillain. The person behind the myths, or rather, the leak at the Agency, the database created with stolen intelligence, and the destruction of the city. But what could they do? Nothing about them or any of the information Mirth had on the master criminal screamed, “this is what my power is” or “my greatest asset.”
And there was certainly no blinking neon sign that said, “this why I’m so formidable.”
“Feeling hospitable now? What, did you have a change of heart after destroying all of City?” Mirth spat.
Supervillain tilted their head. “Still upset about that, I see? If anyone should be upset, it should be me. You slaughtered my henchmen. It’s so hard to find competent people these days. They’re all too…moral or demented. None of them walk that thin line where I like to operate.”
Mirth’s lips curled. If she could’ve, she would’ve growled. “You dare to taut your moral compass when there’s nothing left of the city? When hundreds if not thousands of people are dead because of you?”
Beneath their mask, Supervillain offered them a sympathetic frown. “So I guess there’s no point in asking you to join me?”
Mirth’s blood boiled. She bolted to her feet, forgetting herself and her current state. Even as she fell to her knees and barely managed to catch herself with her chained hands, she whipped her head up. “I will never join you. We are nothing alike.”
“Oh but, Mirth, aren’t we? Don’t you remember what you did at the safe house?”
Of course she did, but it was different. They attacked her. They attacked Baron and Superhero, they’d been ambushed, it was fight or be killed. But what Supervillain did? It was unprovoked. It was done on such a scale that—
Supervillain tutted and walked right up to the bars of Mirth’s prison. At this angle, Mirth could see the subtle pattern of their supersuit. It was like a camouflage pattern in dark grays and black. Mirth pushed herself back onto her knees. She narrowed her eyes, glaring.
They were not the same and they would never be the same, because Mirth would never hurt innocent people or destroy an entire city.
“I guess I’ll just have to leave these here then,” Supervillain sighed. “Think it over, Mirth. I think we’d make a great team.”
Mirth watched as Supervillain bent and left the crackers and SportsDrink+ just in front of her prison cell. With the light hitting them at that angle, Mirth realized their stomach was a lighter color than anywhere on else on their suit, making them look a little like a penguin. The slight difference in color went down their torso and part of their legs. When Mirth looked a little closer, she realized it wasn’t a camouflage pattern at all, but like feathers.
Like…a sparrow.
Taglist:
@Heroes-villains-side-blog @selene-stories @violetcancerian @kaiwewi @averyconfusedhuman
Just let me know if you’d like to be added or removed (no reason necessary)! You can also add yourself using this handy dandy form 😊
A/N: It’s been…a while🥴 I hope no one minds the pivot from The Lair in the Woods back to Mirth’s Ebenezer (which I’m hoping to focus on both of these now that all three Heirs of Tenebris books are out and I have a little more time on my hands while I figure out my next project😎)
Warnings: Rough transition from fluff to full fledged angst (sorry, y'all!), reference to recent violence, anxiety, fear, shock/trauma, handling of weapons, reference to past disaster/attack, swearing, the author completely forgetting that this started off as a holiday piece
My Masterlist | Taglist Info or Taglist Request Form | Mirth’s Ebenezer masterlist
Agent sighed heavily, scrubbing their face with their hand. Another dead end, another error message, another failure.
“Are you coming to bed?” A groggy voice called. Even the exhaustion in their lover’s voice couldn’t mask their irritation.
Agent blinked, breaking the spell cast on them by their Agency-issued laptop and the tens of tabs and programs opened on it. “I…” Shaking their head, Agent turned their chair around and stood. Both of their stiff knees popped and old injuries from their days in the field groaned. “I really should, shouldn’t I?”
Lover hummed, meeting them halfway across the cramped office and pulling them closer to leave a teasing kiss on their lips. “You really should.”
“Have I told you lately,” Agent started, resting their forehead on Lover’s, not daring to open their eyes for the fear that this was all just a dream and that they’d wake up any minute now having fallen asleep at their desk back in their cold dismal office at the Agency. “How much a love you?”
“Not nearly enough,” Lover whispered. “You’ve been too busy trying to catch that mole.”
“You’re not supposed to know about that.”
“And you’re not supposed to bring work home with you.”
“Forgive me?” Agent asked, parting just an inch to see their lover’s expression.
“Only if you take care yourself,” Lover said, turning serious. “You need to sleep—an actual full night of sleep—and eat proper meals and spend time rel—”
The pair jumped, nearly breaking away from each other in full. A blaring alarmed chimed from Agent’s desk. Agent snapped their head in the direction of their computer, their heart hammering against their chest.
Never once had they heard that alarm.
Lover groaned, clapping their hands over their ears. “Make it stop! It’s just as bad as the emergency…” Realization dawned in their eyes as the reality of what was happening sank like a lead weight in Agent’s stomach. “Shit it’s…”
“Yeah,” Agent said, shaking themselves from the shock of it. Darting over to their computer, they quickly silenced the alarm and grabbed their coat from the back of their desk chair, hurriedly shoving their arms through the sleeves.
Lover looked as disappointed as a child who’d been denied dessert.
“I know, sweetheart,” Agent said, cupping their cheek softly, forcing themselves to still long enough to remember themselves and their own situation. “I know. I promise, no matter what, I’ll come home.”
“Be safe,” Lover replied, tears brimming in their eyes.
Agent nodded. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
*
Agent grasped Everette’s shoulder. “We’re not going to die, you hear me?”
Their words couldn’t stop the young hero’s blubbering, and if anything seemed to make it worse. Agent set their jaw, staring hard at the rookie-turned-forced-soldier. “Hey, look at me. Do I look scared to you?”
Everette shook their head. “You’re a heartless, bastard.”
Agent sighed. That wasn’t completely undeserved, but it still stung. Even after all they’d done to help protect a low-life criminal, to root out the mole, people still thought it was them, that they were to blame for this massacre.
“Leave them be, Agent.” Vigilante said, coming around the corner. “We have bigger problems to deal with than whatever rookie here is dealing with.”
“And you thought I was cold,” Agent rolled their eyes. Straightening, they reluctantly agreed with Vigilante and took up their rifle, slinging its strap across their chest. “Find anyone else?”
“Would I be standing here alone if I did?” Vigilante kicked the dirt beneath their feet. “If anyone else is left, they’re in deep cover now. The fire at the Agency’s building has finally been put out and the courthouse is mostly standing. The city’s in total chaos. They did it. The son of a bitch really did it.”
Agent shook their head. “I don’t believe that. This can’t be it. They couldn’t’ve won. Not like this.”
“Yeah, well, we never did find the mole, so…” Vigilante shrugged. “Guess it doesn’t matter anymore. Supervillain obviously got what they wanted.”
Agent didn’t believe that. If they could just find who the mole was and figure out why they betrayed them all, then…then they could…
“It won’t bring them back,” they muttered. Agent’s chest tightened. They forced out a tense breath and could hardly draw another. Sinking down to sit beside Everette, Agent repeated, “It won’t bring them back.”
Vigilante groaned. “Not you too. I need someone to have their head on right because it can’t just be left up to me. Hell if anyone knows where Superhero and Mirth are, or if…fuck.” Vigilante swore again, and again, but it still couldn’t quite break the stupor that had overcome Agent. If anything, they’d guess that it had spread to Vigilante too. They were certain of it when next they spoke. “You don’t think—we can’t be the only ones left. Right?”
“I don’t know,” Agent said, their voice and soul hollow. They forced themselves to swallow. Nodding their head as if they could convince themselves of their own resolve, Agent pushed themselves off the ground and stood on shaking legs. “But if we are, we owe it to them to fight. Supervillain can’t win.” They shrugged, growing more confident with every word. “At the very least, we can be a thorn in their side until the calvary shows up.”
Everette took a shuddering breath, sniffling. “You really think that there are other heroes coming?”
Agent snorted. “You didn’t really think this was the Agency’s only branch, did you? There are heroes all over this country—all across the world even. We might not all be under the same banner or agency, hell we might not all even consider ourselves heroes,” they paused, glancing over at Vigilante and offered them a nod. “but we are. There are more of us than we know. There are more people who want to help, who have good hearts, who care about others, who want to do good and be the good that people see in the world, that inspire them to do good too. It’ll sound cheesy and like a shitty motivational poster, but I’m gonna say it anyway: we have hope. All Supervillain has is fear, and if there is anything I have learned watching all of these heroes for the twenty some-odd years I’ve been an Internal Investigator, it’s that hope is stronger than fear. Think about the most feared people throughout history. You don’t see them still standing, do you?”
Everette shook their head weakly. Agent looked to Vigilante. Their eyes were narrowed suspiciously, like they thought the whole thing was dumb. After a second, they nodded anyway.
“And why not? Why are they history? Because the people had hope. Someone, somewhere, had hope, and they held on to it, and they tore down their fears, they defeated the big bad that plagued their people, and they gave them hope, something to believe in. And that’s what we need to do. We need to show this city that there is still someone fighting for them, that Supervillain hasn’t won, and that they won’t win. We just need to give them something to hold on to, just until help arrives.”
Agent looked from Vigilante to Everette and back again. Sweat slicked their palms. They held their breath, praying their compatriots at least believed their speech.
They tried to believe in it themselves, but all Agent could bring themselves to think about were those few precious moments from earlier in the night. A few precious, yet stolen, moments.
They wondered if they had been selfish, if they had gotten to the Agency sooner, if they hadn’t taken that moment to say goodbye.
They wondered if Lover was still awake, fighting their exhaustion and battling against their anxiety, waiting for any word, any sign, any instance of them.
They wondered if a single moment, a single kiss, a single speech, a single hope would be enough to reverse the damage Supervillain had done, and the battle they’d already won. They hoped, with every fiber of their being, that the war could yet still be won.
Turning their eyes toward the eastern sky, the first hues of the sunrise poked through the ashy haze that hung over the city scape.
Perhaps a single hope was all they needed in order to survive long enough for something to happen that would make a real difference—a real, honest difference for the betterment of the city.
*
Meanwhile at Baron’s Cabin the Woods:
Superhero glanced around the dimly lit basement, taking in the gleaming array in the lantern light Baron had brought with them.
“So, a safe house, huh?” they asked, eyeing Baron skeptically.
“Yeah,” he said. “This is what makes it safe.” Superhero had to admit that he had a point, but didn’t dare say so aloud. Taking a breath, they resigned themselves to being at the mercy of Baron’s plan. “All right, so where should we start?”
Mirth’s Ebenezer Taglist: @heroes-villains-side-blog @selene-stories @violetcancerian @kaiwewi @averyconfusedhuman
Just let me know if you’d like to be added or removed (no reason necessary!) You can also add yourself using this handy dandy form 😊
A/N 2: I legit can't remember the last time I wrote for Mirth and I'm so sorry to those of you following along with this series💜
A/N: Guess what guess what guess what *bouncing excitedly* I GOT MY DEVELOPMENTAL EDITING FEEDBACK FROM MY EDITOR YESTERDAY FOR BOOK 2!
That is all. Carry on 😊
(P.S. Sorry this part is a little shorter! I'm still trying to figure out where this is going lol)
Warnings: swearing, grudges, the plot, ambush, reference to weapons, implied threat, threats, reference to murder, guns
My Masterlist | Taglist Info | Mirth’s Ebenezer masterlist
Baron quickly made his way downstairs. His mind ran wild with thought after thought concerning his grand idea on how to make it up to Mirth that she’d walked in on an all-out feud between himself and Superhero. He couldn’t help it—they were like were like oil and water…
And yet they had one major thing in common: Mirth.
He knew it, Superhero knew it—hell, the whole world probably knew that they each had some sort of romantic feelings toward Mirth. And it really would be just his luck that he’d end up sentenced to house arrest with the woman he’d dared to say he might love and her friend, who also happened to be in love with her, as his wardens.
But of all the things that’d happened to him in his life, and of all the things he’d done—especially recently—Baron couldn’t exactly say he was upset by the current circumstances.
From life on the street to betraying Supervillain, Baron found that in this moment, he didn’t have many regrets. Even looking back on his life as a masked criminal, he hadn’t ever really hurt anyone. Sure, he hadn’t given the same reverence to property as he had to human (or animal) life, but compared to someone like Supervillain or Other Villain, Baron was the least of the City’s problems. And if it weren’t for him, the City would have a serious problem trying to accommodate each and every one of his henchmen—or rather, the city’s impoverished or orphaned or homeless. If anything, Baron realized, he’d done about as much good for this city as any one of the so-called heroes and vigilantes.
He couldn’t help but wonder if maybe Judge Whitmire had known that all along. From the first time they’d met to discuss the terms of his Rogue Trial and examine his case, he couldn’t help the feeling that Judge Whitmire had already made up his mind. Why else would he have tied Mirth’s fate to his?
Baron shook his head. Maybe the rumors were true. Maybe the good old judge was wily. But in any case, Baron knew he’d never been so overcome with gratitude when Judge Whitmire had announced his ruling. That was all that truly mattered. Judge Whitmire had given him a chance, and Baron would never forget that—just as he would never forget the hero who’d found it in her heart to forgive him enough to push him in the right direction.
Now was likely the only time he’d be able to do something nice for Mirth.
But first, Baron pursed his lips, he’d just have to break the rules again. Strolling into the kitchen, he surveyed the counters and cabinets. He’d been surprised to find it pretty well-stocked with box mixes and canned goods, and, of course, plastic bowls and cups. The fridge wasn’t as nicely stocked, but he had enough to whip up something half-way decent. He only hoped his attempt would make it up to Mirth that she’d walked right into an angry hornets’ nest.
Sighing, Baron began to rifle through the cabinets one-by-one, trying to find the cups he’d discovered last night. He knew this would spark a bigger argument, but he supposed it was worth it if it meant he didn’t have to ask Superhero to open the Forbidden Closet of Things He Wasn’t Allowed to Have Per Standard House Arrest Code of Conduct.
The door to the garage opened and closed with a bang, rattling the picture frame hung on the adjacent wall. Baron turned his head in time to see Superhero dart through the mudroom and toward the hallway. His brows furrowed, watching them furiously tap the entry code into the panel beside the off-limits closet.
“Mirth! Baron!” they shouted, not even bothering to turn around as they started searching through the closet and began strapping various weapons to their person.
“No need to shout,” Baron said, setting the plastic cup he’d meant to fill with water to throw at the very panel Superhero had so generously unlocked for them down on the counter. Watching them warily, Baron walked up beside them and took inventory of what they were grabbing. “What’s going on?”
“Yeah,” Mirth said breathlessly as she came around the corner in a hurry. “Can’t you two just get alon—”
“Supervillain’s here,” Superhero interrupted, tossing Mirth a uniform that she didn’t catch. “Get changed.”
Mirth’s eyes went wide as she stilled. She didn’t even make to pick her signature uniform up from the floor. “Supervillain? They’re here?”
“I’ve already called for back-up,” Superhero assured her, taking a step back and turning to face her. “Mirth, we’re going to be fine. And then as soon as we deal with this, we’re going to find the mole.”
Mirth nodded, stiffly reaching for the fallen uniform and heading down the hallway without another word. Baron tilted his head and watched after her for a moment.
“Did she seem okay to you?” he asked, meeting Superhero’s eyes.
“Not in the slightest,” they admitted through gritted teeth. “And I can’t say I blame her, not when Supervillain’s reputation precedes them.” Reaching into the closet again, they handed him a bulletproof vest. “Put this on and take what you want. But, if you betray us now, I won’t hesitate to shoot you and cut our losses.”
“Wasn’t planning on it,” Baron said. He slipped the vest on and eyed the contents of the closet. “Do you know what would make this easier? Not having this power suppressing cuff on me.”
Superhero opened their mouth to respond, but the shattering of glass made them both flinch. Baron grabbed them and yanked them inside the closet. A bright flash burst behind their closed eyes. A high-pitched ringing burst in their ears from the loud bang that had accompanied the flash.
“Seems like Supervillain brought the calvary with them,” Baron huffed. “So the cuff?”
Superhero glared at them, fishing a key out of their pocket and offering it to them. Baron took it with a grim smile. Superhero didn’t say a word as they shouldered their rifle and maneuvered around the closet door, sweeping the room from behind the barrel of their gun.
Baron crouched, unlocking the cuff and letting it fall to the floor. They sent out a ripple of their power, mapping out the house and their immediate surroundings thanks to the subtle electrical currents thrumming in the atmosphere.
Supervillain had them surrounded.
Taglist: @feline17ff, @selene-stories, @violetcancerian, @kaiwewi
Just let me know if you'd like to be added or removed 😊
A/N: One day I will update my masterlist. Today is not that day😅 This is also unedited LOL
Warnings: betrayal, fleeing from danger, reference to guns, depictions of guns, reference to past violence, reference to past threats, threats, reference to violence/on-going battles…I think that’s it?
My Masterlist | Taglist Info or Taglist Request Form | Mirth’s Ebenezer masterlist
Superhero ground their teeth. Their head pounded miserably and they were certain a permanent scowl had etched itself upon their face. One thought kept pestering their exhausted mind, a constant nag that picked at them until their memories bled before their unseeing eyes. They’d called for back-up. They’d explained the desperate situation they were in but help hadn’t come.
“Here we are,” Baron said, breaking Superhero from his thoughts. “Home sweet home…for now, anyway.”
Even his usual smarminess had given way to a bland exhaustion the farther he drove into the countryside. They’d driven for so long, Superhero had wondered briefly if Baron was actually working with Supervillain and taking them hostage. The concern eventually faded, as did the ready twitch of their fingers around the grip of their rifle stood between their legs, ready if need be as the threat of pursuers and betrayers hung thick in the air.
In the backseat, Mirth finally stirred at Baron’s statement. Superhero hadn’t been able to tell if she’d actually fallen asleep or if she was merely resting her eyes, fighting a mental battle of her own. Baron hadn’t said anything either, though Superhero had noticed his eyes were on Mirth in the rear view mirror almost as much as they were on the road.
“Wherearewe?” she mumbled, blinking and swiveling her head around.
Superhero watched as the dense forestland on either side of the gravel road forked up ahead.
“Somewhere Supervillain won’t find us,” Baron replied, directing the car down the left side of the fork. “Or at least, that’s my hope.”
“Who else knows about this place?” Superhero questioned. Eyeing their surroundings from beneath furrowed brows, they found themselves believing Baron when he said that no one did. He was the only one who knew the place he was taking them to.
“And technically speaking,” Baron added as the car turned down a path that was hardly wide enough for Superhero’s SUV to fit down. Already Superhero imaged the scratches in the paint, left behind by the spindly branches and thorny bushes on either side of the decidedly not a driveway as Baron defended himself for their unspoken skepticism. “This cabin doesn’t even exist.”
“So you’ve been committing tax fraud too?”
“Obviously,” the criminal nearly snarled. “How else was I supposed to keep this place a secret? Buy the land, pay property taxes, apply for building permits? Everyone knows that information’s public information.”
“All I’m saying is that the safe house Whitemire and the court set us up with wasn’t supposed to be found either,” Superhero sighed. “I think we all just need to rest and regroup, then maybe—”
“Can we skip the ‘maybe’ part for now and just stick with the ‘rest and regroup’ bit?” Mirth’s strained voice interrupted from the backseat. “I really don’t want to talk about any of this right now, unless we’re going to talk about what sort of sleeping arrangements and the plumbing situation at this cabin of yours is, Baron.”
Superhero caught Baron’s eye before his gaze flicked to Mirth in the rear view mirror. “It’s got septic and well, and as for the sleeping arrangements…there’s only one bed.”
***
Baron didn’t dare look at Superhero as the stiff silence was broken by their scoff. Keeping their focus on winding the truck down the correct paths, as he’d carved a maze of them through this stretch of the forest to ensure no one ever found his cabin. And he certainly hadn’t ever considered the fact that he might bring people here one day. This was supposed to be his last resort hideaway if things ever went south.
“In my defense, I never planned on bringing people here,” he muttered. Shaking his head to clear the irritated clouds from his mind, Baron said, “We’ll just take turns sleeping, that’s all there is to it. Beside, it’s probably a good idea to keep a watch anyway. Just in case.”
Neither hero argued. It wasn’t a surprise to him that Mirth hadn’t, but what him raising his brows was the fact that Superhero hadn’t. But there wasn’t any time to figure out why. The final marker he’d hidden in the trees pointed the way down the last turn before they were pulling up to the plain log cabin.
“Home at last,” Baron said lightly, attempting to steer their moods toward something not so grim.
“I’ll take first watch,” Superhero said decisively. “You and Mirth should—”
“Mirth, you can take the bed. I’ll stay up and stand watch too,” Baron interrupted, catching Superhero’s eye as he put the car in park. “There’re a few security details we should go over so you’re not surprised.”
“Fine.”
Silently, the three of them hauled themselves out of the truck and grabbed their scant belongings. Baron relinquished the SUV’s keys to Superhero, cringing at the scowl etched onto their face. He made quick work of leaving them and Mirth behind to unlock the cabin. Letting the door swing open, he let Mirth and Superhero enter first flicking the light on behind them and closing the door firmly as they all lingered in the entryway.
Nodding toward the hallway across the way, Baron said, “The bedroom’s that way. It should be in pretty decent shape. I tried to keep this place from becoming unkept. If not, the cleaning supplies are under the kitchen sink.”
“Thanks,” Mirth said quietly. “Are you two sure you’re—”
“Get some rest, Mirth. That’s an order,” Sueprhero grumbled. “You need it after using your power so much.”
Mirth nodded. Her head hung as she turned and silently made her way toward the sole bedroom. Baron glanced between the pair as Mirth retreated. Superhero didn’t even look at him until a few seconds had passed after they heard the bedroom door squeak closed again.
“I’ve never seen her like this,” they said at last. “I’m worried about her.”
“That’s saying something,” Baron agreed. “I was already concerned, but now I’m really worried. You don’t seem the type to get anxious easily.”
“I think she’s right. There has to be two moles, or at least one and another victim of extortion.”
“So that’s it, then?” Baron hissed, “You’re just going to say you’re concerned about Mirth and then move on to the case at hand?”
“What do you want me to do, Baron? There’s nothing either of us can do for Mirth right now. When she’s ready, she’ll open up.”
Baron crossed his arms over his chest. “All right, then. What are we supposed to do now?”
“Figure out how Supervillian knew where we were and who the leaked the holiday schedule, because as far as I know no one in the court system should’ve known that schedule and, to my knowledge, no one in the Agency should’ve known the about the safe house, as that’s all handled by the court.”
Baron blew out a breath and flopped down on the couch. “So, there really are two moles. Huh. I guess the heroes really are lacking morality.”
Superhero scoffed, dropping in the armchair across from them. “Neither of us can talk about morality without throwing stones in our glass houses, but at least we’re not Supervillain.”
“At least there’s that,” Baron agreed, his mind turning with Superhero’s suspicions and what it could mean for the battle ahead if they proved to be right.
“We’re gonna need more fire power if we want to take down Supervillain,” he said absently.
“Or one weak link…” Superhero said thoughtfully.
*
Meanwhile, at the Agency:
Total chaos reigned. Superhero’s call for aid had gone unanswered as Supervillain’s forces swarmed both the court and the Agency’s offices, dividing the heroes beyond their abilities in the fight for their very survival.
Mirth’s Ebenezer Taglist: @heroes-villains-side-blog @selene-stories @violetcancerian @kaiwewi @averyconfusedhuman
Just let me know if you’d like to be added or removed (no reason necessary!) You can also add yourself using this handy dandy form 😊
A/N: It’s flurrying❄😊 I also just learned that the font I use for the header is called Holiday Romance and I just....the love triangle vibes are strong with this one. Like even Canva knew😂
Warnings: Home invasion, fighting, violence, panic, reference to assassination attempt/hired hit, use of guns, betrayal, explosive devices, murder (technically), invisibility powers (so not technically a warning, but they are this time and it’s a good thing Mirth is a hero), the plot taking over the storyline, Mirth is turning vengeful…and slightly murderous…
My Masterlist | Taglist Info | Mirth’s Ebenezer series
“Mirth! Baron!” Mirth’s brows furrowed as Superhero’s voice floated up to her. She’d heard them shout quite often, but very rarely had she ever been irked by it.
Mirth huffed and yanked the bedroom door open. At least Superhero had called for both of them, so she at least had the small consolation that they weren’t fighting with Baron over something trivial again. Hurrying down the staircase, a trickle of foreboding seeped into Mirth’s blood. By the tone of Supe’s voice—the urgency, the authority, the Superhero quality in it—she began to doubt the reason for their shout was anything but trivial.
But maybe she was wrong. Maybe Baron had broken another of Superhero’s house rules again and they were only calling her down to be a moderator, again.
“What’s going on?” She heard Baron ask as she stepped into the hallway.
“Yeah,” Mirth said breathlessly as she came around the corner in a hurry. “Can’t you two just get alon—”
Spotting Baron and Superhero standing around the closet that housed all the restricted—and therefore “dangerous” items their house-arrested criminal wasn’t allowed to be around—Mirth’s heart began to pound like a drumbeat between her ears. Superhero was arming themselves as if they expected to go to battle, bulletproof vest and all.
“Supervillain’s here,” Superhero interrupted, tossing something toward her. Mirth froze. Her uniform fell to the floor between them, but she made no move to pick it up. “Get changed.”
The beat of her heart grew louder. If Supervillain themselves was here, none of them were going to make it out of this house alive. “Supervillain? They’re here?”
How did they find them?
“I’ve already called for back-up,” Superhero assured her, taking a step back to meet her eyes. “Mirth, we’re going to be fine. And then as soon as we deal with this, we’re going to find the mole.”
The mole. The leak within the Agency that Agent and the Internal Affairs Department had been investigating, but still hadn’t found after nearly six months. That mole.
Mirth nodded, stiffly reaching for the fallen uniform and heading down the hallway without another word. Someone had sold them out. Whether it was to eliminate her and Superhero as potential threats, or to get rid of Baron with the pair of them as collateral damage, Mirth didn’t know. But the fact was: someone had betrayed her and Superhero, and to some extent, Baron.
Her fingers tightened around the fabric of her supersuit. Clenching her teeth, Mirth nearly kicked the bathroom door open as the realization settled over her mind.
As soon as they all made it out of here alive, she was rooting that mole out and returning the favor. The more her shock wore off, the angrier Mirth became. Stripping off her shirt and jeans, she roughly pulled on her supersuit, kicking away her civilian clothes. Just as she’d clipped her gun holster to her belt, her ears pricked at the sound of breaking glass.
A loud bang! burst through the air.
A high-pitched ringing overtook her ears. Blinking as though it would help to diminish the ringing, Mirth slipped her pistol from the holster. The weight of her limbs faded as she flipped the safety off and chambered a round. As her molecules turned into the invisible vapor that hid her from the world and gave her the same freedom as the air itself, a familiar current of electricity buzzed through the atmosphere.
Baron.
If she’d had eyebrows at the moment, Mirth knew they would’ve been furrowed. Had Superhero unlocked the power suppressant cuff on their ankle…or had they been freed some other way?
Was Baron the real danger here? Had it all—the mole, the safe house, the Rogue Trial—been a trap? Had he set them up?
Mirth didn’t have any time to contemplate the idea further as the sound of gunfire assaulted her ears. Slipping beneath the crack under the bathroom door, the invisible cloud that was Mirth expanded as she took a deep breath.
Floating down the hall, Mirth slipped into the cool, collected mindset she reserved for her missions. But no matter how hard she tried to, she knew deep down that this time was different. This time, it was personal. Supervillain had attacked them. They’d targeted them. This wasn’t some standard mission to bust a ring of thieves or the mafia, this was self-defense, and Mirth didn’t know how many lines she was about to blur for her own survival as she hovered behind a group of figures dressed in all black.
Solidifying her molecules enough to put her feet on the ground and take aim, Mirth lined the sights of her pistol up with one of the henchmen.
Inhaling slowly, Mirth held her breath. She had to time this all just right. If she didn’t…
If she didn’t, she would be as good as dead.
Mirth pulled the trigger. Exhaling quickly, she let her molecules loosen once again, becoming the vapor of her invisibility powers just in time for a barrage of bullets to be sent her way by the new rear guard of the group of henchmen.
Sailing past them, Mirth put herself between them and the henchmen in front of them. Only solidifying her upper body enough to hold her gun, Mirth took aim and fired.
The henchmen dropped to the floor, and in the seconds that followed, chaos erupted.
Bur Mirth was already a vapor again, clinging to the ceiling as she watched the team of henchmen scramble to find who’d killed two of their comrades.
A whoop filled the air as Superhero, disheveled and bloodied, appeared at the mouth of the hallway. They didn’t even take aim, just shooting from the hip. Mirth would’ve shaken her head if she was solid, watching as they sprayed bullets throughout the hallway, cutting down henchmen where they stood until they’d all fallen, injured or otherwise. Mirth didn’t stick around, knowing her friend had this handled.
The closer to the great room she traveled, the more her molecules fizzed. Lightning flashed, the air buzzed, people screamed, and at the center of it all, was Baron.
Mirth found herself freezing at the sight. Staring in wonder as Baron conducted his powers, Mirth realized this was not a man who had betrayed her or the Agency. Fighting for their lives, she, Baron, and Superhero had one enemy in common: Supervillain’s mole, and to a larger extent, Supervillain themselves.
The large window looking toward the front of the house shattered. Pinned down by henchmen, both Superhero and Baron had their hands full. Mirth gently landed on her feet about a yard away from the window. The weight of her limbs was odd after spending too little time gliding around in her favorite form of invisibility. A henchmen with a shouldered rifle was the first to climb through the open window. Before he could open fire on the room behind her, Mirth grabbed the barrel of his gun and twisted, yanking at it hard. Wrenching it from his grip, Mirth jabbed his throat with her free hand and swept his legs out from under him.
At her beckoning, the rifle turned invisible.
The next henchmen and the one after didn’t make it one step inside the house.
Supervillain wouldn’t win. Not this time, not tomorrow, not the day after, and most certainly not in the near future.
She didn’t care what lines she blurred, Mirth vowed she would find their mole, and then she would find them.
Supervillain was going to die.
A/N 2: Huh. I did not see a corruption arc coming for Mirth 🤔
A/N: This continuation was encouraged by @feline17ff and also by the fact that I'm on a soft villains kick :) Enjoy!
Warnings: robbery, manipulation, hostage situation, swearing, some verbal fighting, intimidation, implied threats, threats, self-worth issues, confidence issues/self esteem
Masterlist | Series masterlist | Taglist Info
Nearly six months had passed since Mirth had spent Christmas Eve with Baron and an unconscious rookie hero. She still didn’t know what to make of that night, or if she’d imagined the whole thing. But it’d certainly been real, even in spite of the eggnog Baron had conjured up with the items he’d “bought” at the convenience store up the street. He’d put enough alcohol in it, that she was nearly drunk from the smell alone. She didn’t know how they hadn’t died of alcohol poisoning. But…she’d enjoyed herself even if she shouldn’t have.
The fact was, Mirth had spent Christmas Eve with one of the city’s most notorious criminals because he was lonely and in truth, so was she. Her parents had gone on a Christmas cruise to Bermuda, her siblings were scattered on the wind and unable to host Christmas or spending it with their in-laws or their friends or whoever, and it’s not like she could host Christmas in her apartment. As it was, she’d had to sleep on the couch because they’d put Everette in her bed.
All Mirth knew for certain was that Baron had gone long before the witching hour at 3 A.M. and Everette had woken up confused and groggy early Christmas morning.
Oh, and the paperwork that had ensued because of his altercation in the alley with Baron.
What a nightmare that had been. And where did it land her?
On desk duty, all because she’d taken a creative approach to doing her job.
Okay, so maybe spending Christmas Eve with her nemesis hadn’t been her greatest idea, but other than rendering the rookie unconscious, he hadn’t actually committed any crimes—a fact proven by a thorough investigation that even Superhero had moaned about conducting during the holiday. But the Agency had come down hard on all of them in the wake of Mirth’s “immoral association” with Baron.
They made it sound like she was in love with him or something, which led to multiple training sessions for the whole Agency about workplace relationships, corruption, moral duty, and a slew of other sessions that nearly everyone on the force resented her for.
But today was the day. Her suspension was finally coming to an end. She could don her mask and supersuit again and actually do her job. So long as she did everything by the book and avoided any interaction with a certain criminal, she’d be fine. The Agency couldn’t fire her.
A slow smirk spread across her face as she watched the bustling city streets below her window. She was finally a hero again, and not the Agency’s lackey for all tasks deemed too tedious for those actually fighting crime or chatting by the water cooler to complete. If she’d had to organize one more case file, she swore she was turning coat out of spite.
But it hadn’t come to that, thank goodness.
Six long months of files and making coffees, and she was finally a hero again. They hadn’t even let her dispatch! But it didn’t matter now. She was in the field again and she wouldn’t—
“—back-up requested at Bank, all heroes respond. 9-40 in progress.”
Mirth’s blood ran cold. A 9-40 meant a hostage situation.
Quickly turning from the window and dashing up the stairs to her loft bedroom, Mirth changed into her supersuit and let her magic flow through her in a familiar hum.
Wholly invisible, she floated under the door of her apartment and darted over the city streets and passed the blockade set up at the intersection of 8th Avenue and West Main Street. She could make out another blockade at the next major intersection and blockades in front of all of the alleys between them. Once she approached the square made by first responder vehicles, a haphazard command center made by those first on scene, Mirth allowed herself to take a solid, visible form beside Superhero.
Cursing foully, Superhero laid a dramatic hand over their heart. “For the love of god, Mirth, how many times have I told you not to do that?”
“Sorry, Supe,” she said with a sweet smile. “I guess I just forgot what it was like to work with scaredy cats.”
They rolled their eyes, returning their attention to the bank blueprint rolled out on the trunk of the police car they all huddled beside. Other than Superhero, Teammate, Sidekick, and a few other first responders from the city had already gathered at their makeshift command center.
“Bullshit,” they said. “But I’m glad you’re here anyway. It’s Baron, and I know the Agency will have your head if you go near them, but I need eyes inside the bank. He’s already disabled the cameras and the phone lines.”
“Do you even have to ask?” She said, already starting to shift into “Ghost Mode” as they all called it. It was that form of invisibility in which she became something not unlike a ghost. Invisible, but not solid. It was like she turned into a colorless vapor that allowed her to float on the wind—or anywhere really because she still had control over herself just like those people blessed with flight—and in this case, it would let her sneak undetected into the bank.
“Just do it before the higher ups get here,” Superhero muttered. “I know you’re risking everything by doing this, but we really need you to.”
“It’s my job,” Mirth replied proudly. “Besides, there’s always vigilantism if the Agency won’t have me.”
Superhero snorted, but Mirth didn’t wait to hear their retort before she faded into nothing. Slipping into the bank, Mirth hovered above the lobby. Scores of people were huddled in the center of the floor, guarded by Baron’s armed henchmen. Baron himself was no where in sight. Mirth quickly counted the hostages and noted a handful of children amongst them, including a mother and her baby.
If she were solid, she might’ve bit her lip, but in this form, all Mirth could do was waver angrily. She needed to confirm Baron’s whereabouts before reporting back to Superhero. Forcing herself to float through the bank, Mirth turned down a hallway and passed empty offices. Backtracking when she hit a dead end, she pursued the hall behind the teller’s counter.
“Long time no see, Mirth,” a voice drawled off to her left as she hovered in the intersection between the two branches of the hallway.
Following the sound of his voice, Mirth was met with a smug Baron leaning against the wall beside the bank’s vault.
How could she forget those stupid sunglasses?
Taking a breath—well, more or less in this form—Mirth let herself solidify and turn visible again. Rolling her eyes at the display, she said, “As if you don’t know exactly why I haven’t been around.”
Discreetly, Mirth tapped the panic button on her belt, making like she was putting a hand on her hip. Now, the microphone of her radio would automatically transmit everything back to the command center outside. Hopefully, Superhero would figure out what to do.
“Was this your plan all along? Get me out of the way so you could wreak havoc on the city?” She tapped her foot impatiently, but her mind was focused on the hostages forced to cower in the bank lobby.
“As if you’re my only nemesis,” he chided, pushing off the wall and taking a step toward her, his half-cape swishing. With another step forward, Baron took the not-sunglasses off and slid them into a side cargo pocket on his pants.
Mirth glared at him, her blood boiling. How could she ever take pity on someone like him? Clenching her hand at her side, Mirth refused to yield as he crowded her.
“Let the hostages go, and then we can negotiate,” Mirth ground through her teeth.
“And lose my leverage? That seems dumb.”
“Then at least let the children go, and the mother with her baby.”
Baron’s eyes twinkled humorously, but his words cut deep. “And force you to explain why their parents aren’t coming home? I wouldn’t do that. No, the hostages stay until I get what I want.”
“And what’s that?” Mirth asked, her gaze unwavering.
Baron half-turned, gesturing toward the bank vault. “I can’t actually get in there, but you…you definitely can.”
Mirth swallowed. She could, they both knew that, but should she?
“Even if I get inside the vault, you still won’t get what you want. I can’t take anything with me in my invisible state,” she explained.
“Your clothes seem to do just fine with your invisibility,” Baron said dangerously. “Lying to me won’t get those children to safety.”
“I’m not lying. I don’t know if I can take whatever’s in that vault with me.” Mirth tried to sound convincing, and it’s not like she was lying, but it wasn’t exactly the truth either. She had, on occasion, managed to spread her powers over more than herself and the objects on her person. Besides, her suit couldn’t count because it was specially made to work with her powers. “It would take too much power to keep going between the visible and non-solid invisible state.”
Baron narrowed his eyes, studying her. Mirth fell slack, her hand slipping from her hand at his scrutiny. Vulnerability wasn’t a feeling she was all that familiar with as she could turn invisible at the drop of a hat.
“If,” he started, squaring his shoulders and forcing her back a step and then another until her back found the wall behind her. “If I let the children go,” he said, caging her against the wall and reaching a hand toward her hair. He smirked at her, brushing her ear and Mirth realized what he was doing, but by then it was too late. He pulled the earpiece and the microphone wire from her hair and must’ve sent a current through them to render them useless because he smiled satisfactorily as he let the wire drop limply to her shoulder and returned his hand to the wall beside her head.
“I’ll even let a parent go with them so you don’t have to worry about them going out into the world alone and afraid, but only if you agree to do it.”
“And if I won’t?” She whispered.
“Then we’re at an impasse and I might need to start killing hostages.”
Mirth wanted to tell him he wouldn’t, not with children present, not with the horde of first responders outside just waiting for a way to diffuse the situation or save the hostages come hell or high water.
“What if I could get the vault open instead?” She hated how meek she sounded, but as the gears in her head turned over, Mirth supposed it was for the better. Fluttering her lashes a little, she met Baron’s eyes, his brows arching. “Wouldn’t that be a better way? Certainly quicker than waiting on me to do all the work.”
As her voice turned sweeter, a little softer, and she made a show of looking him over, Baron began to waver. Mirth didn’t care if he were falling for a ploy that was all smoke and mirrors or if he was too confused to realize her plan.
Gently and agonizingly slow, she inched a hand toward his pocket, toward the glasses that neutralized her greatest asset. Barely slipping a finger into the pocket, the pad of her finger brushed the smooth plastic of the visors.
She forced her face to turn to coy, the light tilt of her head, an openness to her features and hope in her eyes she didn’t believe in. Her power simmered in her veins, waiting beneath the surface to activate at her will.
He opened his mouth to say something, but Mirth didn’t give him the chance, turning invisible, into the formless cloud of her most effective state, glasses and all.
Mirth hovered near the ceiling, watching him blink and then furiously push away from the wall. She left as he began cursing, not waiting to see what he would do at the discovery of the missing visors and bolted for the nearest exit and around the front of the bank.
Breathless, Mirth materialized between the police car where Superhero braced themselves on the trunk and the open van of the command center.
“Mirth!” Superhero balked, straightening at her appearance.
“There’s fourteen henchmen with him and thirty-two hostages, seven of which are children including the baby,” she said frantically.
“Are you alright?” They asked as the others gathered around.
“Mirth!” A voice barked. Her eyes darted toward the sound of the harsh voice in time to see Superior elbow their way through the assembled crowd of heroes and police. “How dare you—”
“Shut up, Superior,” Superhero ordered, “we are in the middle of a crisis, reprimands can wait until the hostages are safe and Baron’s been taken into custody.”
Mirth fiddled with her hands, her eyes bouncing between the dumbstruck Agency official and the high-ranking hero.
“Uh, Superhero?” An officer broke the tense silence. “The vault’s been opened.”
“What?” Mirth uttered. “Baron said he couldn’t get it open himself.”
“He’s a villain, they lie,” Superhero shrugged. A red light blinked on, catching all of their attention and then the hostage line rang. Mirth held her breath, watching as the hostage negotiator answered it and exchanged a few words with whoever was on the other end, presumably Baron.
Hanging up, the grim-faced woman swiveled in her chair in the back of the command center van. “They’re letting the hostages go, except for the bank employees. They’re being sent through the front doors of the bank within the next fifteen minutes.”
There was only a slight pause before Superhero began doling out orders. They needed to secure the bank entrance and all other exits to ensure Baron couldn’t escape. As their duties were assigned, capes and police officers alike began to break away from the crowd to see to their posts. When there wasn’t anyone left but the central command team, Superior, and herself, Superhero took a breath before addressing her.
“Write your report and turn it in to me immediately. I’m invoking the Rogue Clause.”
Superior began to protest, telling Superhero that they couldn’t do that, that—
“Shut up,” Superhero said. “It’s done. I’ve already invoked it and if you don’t like it because you have some kind of vendetta against Mirth—one of the most upstanding heroes this agency has, I might add—then you can petition my decision with HR. Now piss off, you’re not needed here. You’re only in the way.”
Superior shut their mouth, stunned into silence, their eyes wide with humiliation as they looked at the remaining members of the command team. Without a word, they turned on their heel and left, probably completely demoralized.
“And you.” Superhero whirled on them. Mirth shrank as they met their towering form and stern features. “Get in that van and start your report. You have ten minutes before the first of the hostages come through that door and I need you to identify them because you’re the only one who’s seen them.”
“As you wish,” Mirth said, stepping up into the van under the scrutiny of the rest of the command team. Stopping herself before she fully hauled herself up into the back of the van, Mirth glanced over her shoulder. “And thank you, Superhero.”
“Don’t thank me yet, sweetheart. There’s no telling what they’ll do now that I’ve all but decided to court martial you. All I’ve done is buy you time.”
Mirth materialized and sagged against her apartment door. Dark shadows blotted the corners and the upper loft of her apartment no matter how brightly the lights of the electronic billboards flooded her wide, daunting apartment window. Tears lined her eyes, threatening to spill over at any second now. Her lip wobbled.
Baron had escaped, along with his henchmen. She was facing a Rogue Trial, though Superhero had no doubt she’d be fine, that her colleagues supported her—even if they’d been irritated with her thanks to all those special training sessions they’d had to sit through after her questionable Christmas company.
But otherwise, the hostages—including the bank employees—had been either let go or rescued safely. Not a scratch on any of them, and the children had even been given lollipops before Baron and his henchmen had sent them into the waiting arms of paramedics and her fellow colleagues.
Forcing herself to push away from the door and get settled, Mirth tried to shut her mind off. She tried to stop thinking, to shake off the long evening and relax instead of worry about what was to come in the face of the Rogue Clause.
Grasping her belt buckle, she made to undo it when a knock at her door made her freeze. Using the last of her energy to fade into her ghostly form, Mirth hovered toward the door to glance out the peephole. A man about her age stood outside her door, a man she didn’t recognize.
Fantastic.
A cute guy shows up, probably at the wrong address to pick up his date, and she’s just had the shittiest day. And she was still in uniform.
“Hey Christmas Past, are you home? It’s me,” the man called through the door.
Mirth materialized, her lips twisting. Wrenching the door open, she growled, “What the hell are you doing here?”
Baron glanced at his feet. “I wanted to see you, to—”
“Get out of my sight,” Mirth spat, fixing to slam the door in his face, but his hand shot out and smacked against the door, holding it open enough to show her what he’d had behind his back. Mirth arched her brow. “You brought cupcakes?”
“I’m sorry,” Baron said, offering her the container of baked goods from one of the city’s best bakeries—and the only one still open this late.
Mirth snorted. “And what, you think bringing me cupcakes is going to forgive everything you’ve done? That I’ll forgive you, just like that? You’ve ruined my career, and for what? To get me—”
“No!” Baron interrupted, his eyes going wide with desperation, with…guilt? “I just…I wanted to see you, again.”
“So you staged a bank robbery, took hostages, and then tried to get me to rob the vault for you? Oh and then you robbed it anyway,” She laughed mirthlessly. “And you claim it’s because you wanted to see me again? Wow, you must think I’m delusional!”
Baron’s shoulders slumped. “I never said I was well-adjusted, or that it was my best ‘join the dark side’ attempt, but I didn’t…I’m sorry. I’m so incredibly sorry. You don’t have to forgive me, I don’t expect you to ever forgive me, but I won’t stop trying to show you how much I mean it.”
Mirth studied him. Utterly broken. She’d even say he seemed uncertain, a look she’d only ever seen him wear one other time, and it was that one other time that had arguably landed her in this situation to begin with. Sighing, she said, “I won’t accept your apology, and I certainly won’t accept your company, but I will take those cupcakes and consider them a small penance for being a Scrooge.”
Baron cracked a small, sad smile as Mirth accepted the cupcakes. She was just about ready to watch him leave when he met her eyes and said, “I hope, maybe one day, I could be a person that someone like you would find worthy, but this is all I’ve ever known and all that’s ever been expected of me. I don’t know how to be something more, but you gave me hope—and maybe more of your patience than you think.”
Mirth paused at his words. Her cold demeanor thawed. “Then maybe you should reconsider the whole villainy thing. Most people consider that a red flag.”
“I’m pretty sure giving up villainy won’t get rid of the whopping red flag that is my rap sheet, but it’s a start.”
Mirth squeezed her eyes shut. “The Rogue Clause.”
“What?”
“Go to Superhero. Declare the Rogue Clause,” Mirth clarified, forcing her eyes open. Her voice was pinched as she explained, “If you really want to give up villainy, and become someone worthy of whatever it is you feel like you aren’t deserving of right now, the Rogue Clause is your only way to get a start fresh.”
“I…” Baron blinked, whiplash evident on his face. Composing himself, Baron straightened and offered her a shaky smile. “Thank you.”
“Yeah, well…” Mirth gripped the door harder, holding the cupcakes close to herself. “Don’t make me regret this, alright?”
“I won’t.” Watching him leave, Mirth couldn’t help but hope he kept his oath, for that’s what his parting words sounded like to her. An oath in exchange for the gift she’d given him. A gift she didn’t know if he’d even earned but given nonetheless.
A/N: I think @heroes-villains-side-blog said it best: We’re not in fluff city anymore😲 In all seriousness, THIS GOT GRAPHIC. Please heed warnings. (As a reminder, warnings in red are graphic or heavily referenced)
Warnings: murder, home invasion-esque shoot out, use of and reference to guns, violence, references to blood, electrokinesis as a weapon, reference to dead bodies, swearing
My Masterlist | Taglist Info or Taglist Request Form | Mirth’s Ebenezer masterlist
Baron’s chest heaved. He didn’t know how many more henchmen he could fry before he burned himself out, but they just kept coming. As it was, he didn’t know where Superhero kept getting the ammunition to reload, or how they’d even managed to take out so many henchmen without so much as an interruption.
Power crackled at his fingertips. Baron turned in a slow circle, eyeing the rubble strewn living room for any threat that might still be lingering but finding none. Doing one last rotation, Baron’s brows furrowed. Movement caught his eye from the hallway. Readying his power, the hair on Baron’s arms raised as the static washed over his blood.
“Where’s Mirth?” Superhero asked, stepping into the light of the living room, making a show of wiping the sweat from their forehead. In doing so, they streaked blood across their face, though it didn’t seem to bother them.
“What do you mean ‘where’s Mirth?’ I thought she was with you!” Baron hissed.
“With me? No, she took out a couple henchmen and then came out—”
Baron flinched at the bloodcurdling scream that cut Superhero off. Sharing a cautious glance with the cynical hero, Baron inclined his head toward the window. Pursing their lips together, Superhero nodded, motioning for them to go first as they shouldered their rifle.
Crunching over broken glass and weaving around pieces of the broken coffee table or the limbs of unmoving henchmen, Baron edged his way toward the window. Superhero’s careful footsteps echoed his as they drew closer and closer to the shattered bay window. Crouching low so as not to be seen by any who may be lurking just beyond the opening, Baron peeked outside. His eyes went wide at the scene before him.
“What the hell?” Superhero murmured beside them. “I didn’t know she could do that.”
“Neither did I,” Baron replied, his voice full of awe as he watched Mirth blip in and out of visibility, grabbing henchmen with her as she went and turning them invisible as she did so only to turn them visible again as she slammed them into a tree or threw them across the yard or into each other. “She’s like a whirlwind.”
Surrounded by bodies—unconscious or otherwise—Mirth wreaked havoc on the remaining forces as Baron and Superhero remained too dazed to move. Shaking his head, Baron stood to his full height. “Well, no sense in letting Mirth have all the fun.”
“At this rate, I think we’ll have to stop Mirth,” Superhero muttered. Baron turned to them to ask if it would be such a bad thing to let her keep going, only to snap his mouth shut as Superhero ejected the magazine of their rifle and tossed it over their shoulder. Slapping a new one into the magazine well, Superhero got to their feet and brought the rifle back up to their shoulder. “This is going to be a lot of paperwork.”
Baron snorted. Of all the things that could be going through any of their minds—survival, who the mole was, what Supervillain wanted from any of them—paperwork was the thing Superhero was most concerned about?
Shaking his head, Baron let the electricity brimming in his blood crackle around him. Unleashing his powers, Baron zapped a henchmen who’d turned toward them with a look on their face like a deer caught in headlights. Surging past him, Superhero unleashed a barrage of bullets on the few henchmen left standing. Baron sent a wave of lightning in the direction of their adversaries to help take them down once and for all, already pivoting toward the last place they’d seen Mirth slam a henchmen into the thick trunk of a tree.
Baron paused, his eyes landing on Mirth. The sight of her holding a squirming henchmen against a tree and punching the daylights out of them made him freeze.
In the piercing silence of the squandered battle, Baron just barely heard Mirth snarl, “Where are they?”
The henchmen didn’t answer, though Baron doubted they could. He could hardly seen an inch of skin beneath the blood crusted over their face.
Behind them, Superhero blew out a tense breath. “For the love of Christ.”
Baron watched as Superhero stalked forward and grabbed Mirth’s wrist as she’d geared up to strike the lone henchmen again. Baron had never known his nemesis to be so brutal, though he supposed he couldn’t blame her given the circumstances. They were supposed to be safe here. Judge Whitmire had assured them—Baron’s eyes lit up. Surely, Judge Whitmire knew where they were. How many other people would? And of those people, who had access to the heroes’ schedules and could pass that along to Supervillain? Who had something that Supervillain could exploit, could dangle over their head and—
“What does it matter?” Mirth shouted, drawing his attention back to them. “The Agency hasn’t gotten any answers, they haven’t been able to protect us, they—”
“Mirth,” Superhero hissed through their teeth, “this isn’t you, and as you’re superior, I’m ordering you to stand down before you face another Rogue Trial.”
Baron watched as Mirth’s face crumpled into a defiant scowl. “Fine, but just remember: we were this close to getting information that could help us.”
“I don’t think so,” Baron said hesitantly, gesturing toward the nearly unconscious henchmen sagging against the tree. Their breaths came in shuddering wheezes, choking every now and again in a way that would’ve made anyone panic if they’d had the energy to, but the henchmen didn’t even move. “They’re not in any state to give us answers. I think they got slammed into a tree one too many times.”
The might of Mirth’s glare landed on him. “I don’t think you can criticize me in this moment, Baron.”
Baron arched a brow, studying Mirth curiously. “What happened to my cheery, caring hero? Did Supervillain swap you out with—”
At his words, Mirth crumpled before sparking like a firework. Throwing her hands up, she burst, “Can’t you two take this seriously for two seconds? Supervillain attacked us, and last I checked we’re the only ones here? Where’s that back-up you called for Supes? Who did you contact, because they sure as hell didn’t get the memo across? Someone wants us dead, and we will never know a moment of peace until, until—”
Baron took a step forward as Mirth choked off with a sob. Carefully putting his hands on her shoulders, he tried to get her to look at him.
“Oh god,” she whispered. “What have I done?”
“You survived,” Baron said. “We all did. That’s what matters now.”
Mirth trembled under his hands. Her lip wobbled as he stared, and if he had to guess, he’d say she was in the midst of an all-consuming panic. He doubted she’d ever been in a fight like this, and the truth was he hadn’t even been in a fight like this. Sure he’d taken on small groups before, but nothing to this scale. Never had he had to counter a targeted attack such as this before. He wondered if Superhero had any experience with a melee such as this.
Watching them over Mirth’s shoulder as he did the only thing he could think to do and wrapped her in his arms. Superhero met his eyes. Grim faced, they shook their head, but Baron didn’t understand why.
“We should go. It’s not safe here anymore.”
Mirth shuddered against him, pulling away. Nodding slowly, she said, “I’ll grab the—”
“No,” Superhero cut her off. “I’ll grab the bags and some gear. You and Baron meet me in the driveway.”
Realizing their plan, Baron grabbed Mirth’s hand and gave it a gentle tug. “C’mon, let’s walk around the house and make sure there aren’t any surprises waiting for us.”
“Right,” Mirth said quietly. “It might be better for us if we were invisible.”
Before he could say either way, Baron felt as though his limbs were melting. Staring down at their joined hands, Baron barely saw his hand and then his arm dissolve before the weight of his body was gone. And in its place, was nothing but the feeling freedom. Now he understood why Mirth used her power so. It was incredible.
Watching the ground pass beneath them as Mirth carried them like a breeze, Baron marveled at how easy it was to glide around in this state. Circling the house, Baron just barely managed to tamp down his amazement to watch for any signs of more unwelcomed guests, but found none.
All too soon, Mirth was touching down in the driveway and the weight of his limbs had returned. Slipping her hand from his, Mirth stepped away. A dark look plagued her face, though she didn’t meet his eyes.
Smirking, Baron said, “You totally could’ve pulled off that bank robbery for me, couldn’t you?”
Her eyes snapped to his. “What?”
“The bank robbery. You tricked me,” Baron smiled coyly, glad to have distracted her from whatever thoughts were troubling her in this moment. “Heroes aren’t supposed to lie, Mirth.”
“Heroes aren’t supposed to betray each other either,” she murmured as she finally met his gaze. “Yet here we are.”
Mirth’s Ebenezer Taglist: @feline17ff @selene-stories @violetcancerian @kaiwewi @averyconfusedhuman
Just let me know if you’d like to be added or removed (no reason necessary!) You can also add yourself using this handy dandy form 😊
