(lol alright)
(actually wait did we wanna use like,,,, one of those kinda cliche villain/hero prompts where like the villain turns up at the hero's house and is like, beaten half to death or sick or something and they're like "i need help" and the hero goes "????" or?)
(I think it would be fun to do that. If you have any in mind I'd be down to hear them.)
(I was thinking maybe she gets back from this fight and Adrian is collapsed on her couch?? (Except it's Shroud, not Adrian lmao))
(I'd be down for that)
(perfect! Shall I do that, then?)
(Sure! Maybe not her house though… Like her office in the hero headquarters instead?)
(OH so like this is the kind of world where there's like,,, organized heroes? Not just random vigilantes?)
(Yeah! Sorta. Not really super organized, but rather that the heroes all kind of have a building they rent out and just call it a headquarters even tho it's just an office building they pay for without any government support/assistance. So organized vigilantes that the government turns a blind eye to.)
(ah, makes sense makes sense. So he just,,,, turns up there and goes "I need help" and she's like "dude wtf")
(Exactly lol)
(lol alright!)
Adrian didn't know what else to do. He'd gotten into a fight with a hero and been beaten and thrown around. A metal shard had been stabbed through his right shoulder, and blood stained his grey uniform. The mask still clung to his face. He was lying face-down on Phoenix's couch; she was the only hero he could think of who seemed perhaps close in age to him, the only hero who might help instead of throw him immediately to jail. He could barely breathe, each small movement sending jolts of pain through his body, his breaths harsh and labored. He hoped he hadn't left too much blood on the fabric beneath his body.
Phoenix had lost the villain she had been chasing with a slight huff. She had used up so much energy chasing the stupid villain that she had to end her patrol early and head back to the office. It took her a few minutes to head back, but she got back without much incident. She had been expecting to be able to collapse on the couch in her office and let the energy return to her so she could maybe take another round tonight, but instead was greeted with a bloodied and beat-up Shroud. Her mind froze as the sentence came tumbling out of her mouth, "What the fuck?"
Adrian shifted to blink up at her, eyes hardly able to focus. "Hey." he breathed, mouth pulling to one side in a faint attempt at a smile, that quickly turned to a grimace as he curled into himself again. "Didn't have…ah…anywhere else t' go…"
"So you came to the headquarters of the very people that chase you down on a regular basis?" Kore was finally able to take in the situation. One of the most notorious villains in the city was bleeding out on her, Phoenix's, couch. What had caused him to get into the state? Most heroes were moral enough not to gravely injure villains, often opting for capture instead. She, she could figure this out later, for now, Kore should probably use what energy she had to save Shroud. After a few hesitant steps, the hero approached the couch and knelt next to him before stretching a hand out to heal him.
Shroud flinched away from her hand on instinct, breathing harsh. "Couldn't go t' the hospital." he managed, wincing with each little movement he made. "Hah…" he pressed a hand to where the shard was still sticking from his shoulder, sharp and shining.
Kore spotted the shard and figured she needed to remove that first. She made sure her movements were slow as she moved to do so and spoke with a soft and non-threatening voice having realized the severity of the situation, "Hey, hey, I'm gonna help. No need for a hospital, I can help you here, if you'll let me."
His eyes flickered up to her. They were grey now, not glowing with his abilities, though they seemed hazy. Whether that was pain or his abilities trying to make him disappear to deal with the pain…that was anyone's guess. He didn't move, but didn't flinch when she reached out again, though he did stiffen faintly. The quietest whine left his throat when he stiffened, muscles screaming with pain.
Kore figured she was okay to remove the shard and she did so carefully, but quickly to reduce the amount of pain he was in. She then placed her hand where the shard had been and let her golden energy flow from her to him healing him at a rapid rate. Hopefully she wouldn't regret this later as she could feel her legs get weaker with every ounce of energy she spent on Shroud.
He grunted when it was removed, letting out a breath as she healed him. "Thank you." he breathed, eyes flickering to look up at her. He was still in a great deal of pain, but it was significantly less now that the shard was gone and ehaled.
Kore only stopped healing him once she was sure he was stabilized. She let out a soft breath as she fell back into a sitting position having lost some feeling in her legs, "Would it be rude to say you owe me now?"
He shook his head, pushing himself up to a sitting position with a soft grunt. "No. I do owe you." he replied quietly, looking over at her. "Thank you."
Kore hummed for a moment before moving. She hid her wince as she went back to a kneeling position to push him back into a laying position, "I was just doing my job, sorta. Don't get up yet, I wasn't able to fully heal your injuries."
He let her push him back down, blinking over at her. "Well. Either way. Most heroes wouldn't have. They'd have thrown my ass in jail before you could count to ten, then maybe worried about the injuries." his voice was matter-of-fact, no doubt in his words. It was a little worried, the fact that he so obviously believed that heroes would care more about locking him away than the fact that he was half-dead and ready to bleed out.
Kore pursed her lips at his response. She didn't really believe him as no one here would ever put locking someone away over their well-being. But, but maybe she could check the encounters to see who Shroud kept running into. "Well, I guess now you owe me one. If that's what you really want."
"I do." he replied. "But I'm not paying the debt by going to jail." his eyes stayed fixed on her; it was a little disconcerting, the intensity of his gaze despite the pain still lingering in his eyes.