Nico sprinted around the corner of the building, his mask half on, gloves askew. He hadn’t been prepared for this, though, it’s not like he could complain. He couldn’t exactly ask LockJaw to reschedule his murder spree, just because it conflicted with his plans.
Usually, the villain at least had a pattern, a chaotic schedule of attacks. But, of course, on the day that Nico left his makeshift police radio at home, turned his phone on silent, and went out with his friends, LockJaw decided to attack.
Racing across the pavement, Nico, skidded to a stop, his breaths coming short and fast. In front of him, framed by a blasted hole in the warehouse wall, was the villain.
(I have to go real quick, but I’ll be back in about 25 minutes)
(Okay, see you then)
andrew (Our Supreme Lord and Overseer) looked down at the child in his hands, holding them gently. They moaned again, not opening their eyes.
"Shh, it's alright. You'll be okay." The child tensed at andrew (Our Supreme Lord and Overseer)'s voice, but was too weak to try to get away.
"I'm not going to hurt you anymore," he cooed, trying to make his voice soothing. At the sound of someone approaching, he turned, staring at them. Zephyrus.
"Stay back!" andrew (Our Supreme Lord and Overseer) shouted, holding the child in his arms protectively.
Nico stared at andrew (Our Supreme Lord and Overseer), eyes narrowing in challenge, then confusion. He could hear his heartbeat in his ears, the pounding rhythm adding unwanted suspense to the situation.
“W-what the hell?” He sputtered, legs tensing, ready to charge forward at a moments notice.
“What the hell are you doing?! That’s a kid!” Nico shouted, partly in disbelief, partly in pure anger. Had LockJaw really stooped this low? He was murdering innocent children now?
What did Nico expect? He was a villain, after all.
Although, as the seconds passed, he noticed something. If the villain was trying to murder that child, why was he holding them so tightly, like a lion protecting her cub?
(I have to go, but I’ll be pretty active tomorrow. Goodnight!)
"Don't you think I can see that?!" andrew (Our Supreme Lord and Overseer) shouted, voice filled with anger and regret. The child finally opened their eyes slightly, obviously confused as to what was happening.
"But of course, you wouldn't care! People like you are the ones who sent them to fight me!" He glared at Zephyrus, eyes blazing.
Nico stumbled forwards, as if to intervene, then stopped.
¨What are you talking about? I didn't send anyone to fight you, let alone a kid!¨ He scoffed, confusion playing across his face.
¨Youŕe a villian, why do you care?¨ Nico asked, his confusion settling into rage.
"Just because I'm a villain doesn't mean I'm a monster! I have morals!" The child hero in andrew (Our Supreme Lord and Overseer)'s arms tried to move again, but moaned, sagging slightly as a pained cough racked their breath. andrew (Our Supreme Lord and Overseer) readjusted his hold, caressing the wounded child.
Against his better judgment, Nico rushes forward, kneeling next to the child. Of course, now he's an easy target for Lockjaw, but right now, he doesn't care. Maybe the man isn't a monster, but there is no doubt that he's a villain, and Nico can't seem to understand why he's convinced that Nico sent that child as bait.
¨Morals, sure. So injured kids are off-limits, but its free range on the rest of us?¨ Nico says, no expecting an answer. No, he just needs to take his anger out on something. He gently lays his palm on the child's head, a soft look crossing his face.
"The rest of you understand what you're doing," he hissed, pulling away slightly. The child looked up at Zephyrus, relief flooding their face. The other hero would save them from this villain. andrew (Our Supreme Lord and Overseer) held the child closer, glaring at Zephyrus.
"That doesn't give you the right to kill other people. The world has enough problems, if you haven't noticed" Nico retorted, rage seeping into his voice. He glanced back down at the child, his eyes softening. Cautiously, he slipped his hands around the half-conscious victim, being careful to touch Lockjaw in the least amount possible.
Nico lifted the child up, settling him in his arms. The hero scowled at andrew (Our Supreme Lord and Overseer), drawing the victim closer to his chest.
"It's not like I asked to be a hero. But you, you chose to be a villain. You chose to kill people. So don't preach to me about 'Understanding what you're doing'."
Nico stood, heaving the child up with him.
andrew (Our Supreme Lord and Overseer) immediately stood, seething rage boiling through him.
"You think you're the only one trying to fix things?" He hissed, furious that Nico had taken the child away.
"People like you are the reason this child came out to fight me!" He tried to take the child away from Nico, his usually cool demeanor dropped.
Nico stumbled backwards, and scowled at andrew (Our Supreme Lord and Overseer). He pulled the child closer to his chest, turning slightly away from the angry man.
“This child came to fight you because they made a reckless mistake” Nico retorted, though no anger was directed at the injured victim in his arms.
“I never encourage people to become heroes. Hell, I didn’t ask to be a hero, okay?! But the world doesn’t care want I wanted, so I got these powers anyway. I have to fix things, now, so the least you can do is to keep from going out and killing innocent people!”
"Innocent? Innocent?!" andrew (Our Supreme Lord and Overseer) motioned to the factory behind him.
"The things these people did were by no means innocent."
“Maybe they weren’t, but that doesn’t justify killing them,” Nico almost shouted, tears starting to well in his eyes. God, this was too much. On the one day he’d taken off, he had to sprint to an abandoned warehouse, argue with a villain, and hold a dying child in his arms. And now he was about to cry. Superb.
“Look, I’m done arguing. I don’t care if you’re a serial killer, but right now, this kid is going to die. Since, for some reason, you care about them, the least you can do is help me keep them alive!” Nico exclaimed. He wasn’t thinking straight, asking a villain to help him perform first aid on a kid. But currently, he didn’t care. He wasn’t going to let another person die because of him.
"Fine! But I'm not doing it because you asked!" andrew (Our Supreme Lord and Overseer) stepped closer, looking the child over.
"There are several cracked ribs, maybe even a punctured lung. Definitely a concussion," andrew (Our Supreme Lord and Overseer) murmured quietly, more to himself than Nico.
“Crap,” Nico muttered under his breath, anxiety welling up inside him. Slowly, he drew the child slightly away from his chest, an offering for andrew (Our Supreme Lord and Overseer) to examine them.
Nico could hear is heartbeat thudding against his skull, sending a nervous beat into his fingertips. This child wasn’t going to die. He wouldn’t allow it.
andrew (Our Supreme Lord and Overseer) continued to examine the child, taking their head in his hands.
"They have a broken wrist, and their left shoulder is dislocated. The thing that worries me the most is their legs, though. At least one knew kneecap is shattered. They might not be able to ever walk again." He p his friends only deepened when he remembered who had caused this.
"We need to get them to a healer."
