Villain Carewhumper x Stubborn Hero Whumpee part 17

Warnings: LIVING WEAPON VILLAINNNNN, Hero using living weapon training to take control of Villain who has accidentally been triggered to attack, loss of bodily autonomy

Decided to write a trope I haven't seen in the living weapon community yet: someone reluctantly using an ex-weapon's training to take control of them when they are being dangerously overprotective, even knowing it will traumatize the weapon deeply since the weapon thought their weapon days were over and that they were finally free of their past, having escaped their handlers years ago >:) And therefore shattering all trust and faith in one solid blow

"Asset 34b!!" Hero blurted shakily. Villain’s back was toward her, but she saw him stiffen at the title. She had his attention now, and that was a dangerous, potentially fatal place to be. No turning back.

She swallowed her terror and forced the words out. “Code 364 override, direct order, priority 1. Let her go, step back, stand down.”

Everything went still and silent for a frighteningly long moment. The world balancing on the tip of a knife.

Friend had stopped struggling in confusion, scared eyes darting between her and Villain.

Hero held her breath, heart pounding in her ears.

Three seconds. Three seconds of agonizing waiting, before slowly, Villain’s grip on Friend loosened.

Friend yanked her wrists out of his hold the instant she was able to, ducking around him and darting over to stand next to Hero's couch, wild-eyed with fear. Both friends stared at Villain's back to see what he’d do next, apprehensive.

He stayed facing the wall a little longer, as if he were still processing his surroundings, before slowly turning around to face them, eyes locking straight onto Hero.

Hero nearly shrank into herself under the sheer intensity of his full, undivided focus.

Villain’s pupils were constricted to twin pinpoints, a frighteningly vacant expression on his face. Utterly blank, devoid of all human emotion. Empty and soulless.

He walked over to the couch in slow, graceful strides, and Hero flattened herself against the cushions, recoiling.

The living weapon stopped two meters away, eerily tilting his head to the side and staring down at her intently. "Awaiting further instruction, sir," he monotoned, his voice flat and robotic.

Hero fought to keep the rising panic at bay, fear tightening her chest and making it hard to breathe.

“H-Hero, what the actual hell?” Friend whispered shakily. “Why is he–”

"Shhh!” Hero urgently shushed, and Friend snapped her mouth shut. She just needed a second to analyze the situation and figure out what to do.

Villain Carewhumper x Stubborn Hero Whumpee part 16

Warnings: Warnings: LIVING WEAPON VILLAIN, ambush, living weapon triggers being accidentally set off resulting in a dangerous situation, pinned to the wall

By the time early evening rolled around, she had given up on the idea of getting answers altogether.

Villain brought her her evening medications like usual, but abruptly stiffened when Hero took them from him, his eyes momentarily going out of focus. “Someone’s coming.”

Hero’s brow furrowed. “Wha–”

Villain was already in motion, his footsteps eerily silent as he quickly set the pill bottles on the nightstand and glided soundlessly over the floor to stand next to the front door with his back against the wall, every muscle coiled tight and ready for a fight.

“Whoa, hey, get away from there, it’s probably just a mailman, don’t attack them!” Hero barked.

“You have no way of knowing that for certain,” Villain growled in response, not budging from his position like a poised guard dog ready to tear an intruder apart. “Could be an enemy.”

“That’s the training talking,” Hero snapped. “No one besides Agency knows where I live.”

“Precisely. I am reacting accordingly.”

“That’s—That’s not what I meant. My coworkers at Agency don’t know that you’re here, they don’t know I know the truth, and they have no reason to suspect anything. If you attack them right now–”

Someone knocked loudly, the action followed by a voice Hero instantly recognized.

“Hero? Are you in there?”

It was Friend. One of her closest coworkers.

“I know you're a perfectly capable, independent woman,” the voice continued, “but you haven’t answered your phone in over a week, and I’m starting to get worried. You’ve never gone this long without texting me back before, and last I heard you were sick, so… even if I’m worrying for nothing, I’d like to see you, for my own peace of mind.”

Hero’s eyes widened with fresh panic. Things had been so hectic lately, she’d completely forgotten to check the messages on her phone. She’d turned off her notifications because it was giving her a headache, and never turned them back on. Crap.

“Villain, you have to hide.” she hissed urgently, voice dropping low. “She’s a friend, I promise. NOT enemy. Please stand down.”

Villain only tensed up further. “Friends can be compromised,” he whispered, quiet enough that the person at the door wouldn’t be able to hear. “If she leaves, I won’t pursue, but if she steps foot in here… I’m taking her out. Can’t risk her reporting back to Agency.”

Villain Carewhumper x Stubborn Hero Whumpee part 14

Warnings: LIVING WEAPON VILLAIN, mention of faulty living weapon triggers that accidently got people killed

Villain grimaced. "The lead hero at the museum had no idea what they were doing. They probably caught a glimpse of Agency's file on me, saw the title, and figured I would respond to it -- which I did, but... not in the way they anticipated. And it got their whole team killed."

"You don't have any conscious thought when it's happening? You really can't stop yourself?" Hero bit her lip pensively.

"Sometimes yes... but often no. Conditioning kicks in before conscience does. By the time I register what I’m doing, it’s often too late. But, as a prototype, my training isn't perfect. There's times when I don't react to situations like I'm trained to, or falter unexpectedly. In those cases, I can control myself and avoid hurting anyone."

"Any other triggers besides your weapon name?" Hero asked, almost fearing the answer. "If we're going to work together... I'd like to know how to be safe around you. I'd rather keep my head attached to my shoulders. Heh."

"Is that a 'yes' to helping me, I infer?" Villain eyes glittered coldly.

Hero rolled her eyes hard. "Okay, fine, yes I'm interested in getting rid of the files too, now that I see how deadly those resources are. So yes, I will work with you. Now, triggers?"

Villain chuckled low in his throat, but his expression was serious. "The only big one you really have to worry about is touching me. Any sharp movements toward me could set me off. I can touch you without issue, but you cannot be the one to touch me.”

His lips twitched into a frown. "The danger there comes from the fact that I don't have a built-in threat scale like later versions. I don't meet force with equal force; I give all or nothing. That specific trait is faulty, so it's a 50/50 chance on whether I'll react and fight back or not, but when I defend myself, I will not be able to restrain my strength."

"So, when you first broke into my house and I slashed your arm..." Hero's gaze drifted to the bandages he still had.

"You got very, very lucky," Villain finished. "You should buy a lottery ticket. You survived death and didn't even know it.”

Villain Carewhumper x Stubborn Hero Whumpee part 13

Warnings: LIVING WEAPON VILLAIN, mention of past murder, mention of faulty living weapon triggers that accidently killed people, direct discussion of suicide (for the greater good)

Hero let out a long, slow exhale, and her sleep wasn't interrupted again the whole night.

-------------------------------------------------------

The next morning was a fresh start. She woke up to find that Villain had already made a healthy breakfast for her, and after eating it she had more questions to ask. Though she chose not to mention the nightmare.

"I believe you now," she said. "That... you're a weapon. Dang, that's still hard to wrap my head around. Do you remember how you were created?"

Villain tilted his head thoughtfully. "I do not recall. But from the documents I've seen, I used to be a regular human -- just enhanced, now. Turned into something... more. Something less breakable."

Hero shuddered, mind flashing back to the dream and how oddly strong she'd felt when she moved. Unnaturally so. As if she could run forever without tiring.

She shook her head to bring herself back to the present, noticing how Villain was watching her closely, an odd intensity in his gaze. She cleared her throat awkwardly, lying on her back on the couch and propping her ankles up on a pillow to rest. "So... this is not me agreeing to help you yet, but... what will you do if you win? If you successfully destroy any remnants of Project Warfell? Will you try to start a new life somewhere in the country and live out your days in a quaint cottage or something?"

Villain looked her dead in the eye, expression grim and hollow. "No," he answered, "when the research files are destroyed... I will die."

"HUH?" Hero barked in surprise, struggling to sit up before he placed a firm hand on her shoulder and lightly pinned her down. "What are you talking about?? If you plan it right, and if I helped you, I don't see why you wouldn't be able to make it out of this alive."

"That's not what I meant to imply," Villain laughed dryly. "I would be the end of me."

Hero frowned in confusion. "Why do you feel like you have to die when this is over?"

"I am an unfinished project," Villain explained calmly, as if it were the simplest thing ever. "I am... unstable at times. Unpredictable. And with the abilities Agency gave me... I am too dangerous to be kept around. I only want to see this through to the end, ensure Agency's weapon research is thoroughly destroyed, and then I will destroy the last piece of that research -- me."

Villain Carewhumper x Stubborn Hero Whumpee part 12

Warnings: LIVING WEAPON VILLAIN, bullet wounds, relived memory, bullet wounds, murder, corrupt heroes, nightmares, living weapon protocols

She heard Handler shriek in pain behind her, but didn’t look, obeying the last order.

The shadows swallowed her whole when she reached the edge of the city, where the spotlights couldn’t stay on her any longer. Only then did she dare stop and turn to look back, now that she was safe, the order loosening its grip. Her heart sank when she saw Handler sprawled on his back in the grass, bleeding badly as a cluster of officers ran over to him, rifles kept trained on him.

The distinct figure of Superhero stepped forward from the group, and even from a distance, Hero could tell he was pissed. She strained her ears, quieting her ragged breaths in an attempt to listen in on what was happening.

“Why did you do it, Handler?” Superhero's angry voice reached her. “Why’d you become a traitor?”

“You created monsters,” Handler rasped weakly, pain lacing his tone. “And I just saved you from making a huge mistake with them. You would have gotten many people killed.”

“You ruined decades of research!” Superhero roared, and viciously kicked the fallen man in the ribs, tearing a strangled cry from his throat. “Do you know how long it took the scientists to come up with those designs??”

“The knowledge… is better lost… than in.. anyone's hands,” Handler wheezed.

“You're a fool to believe that.”

“Perhaps… but I am an educated fool.”

Superhero grabbed a handgun from an officer on his left, cocking it and leveling it at Handler’s head in one fluid motion. “You were such a good agent, too,” he tsked. “Now I am left with the bare basic scraps of blueprints to go off of thanks to your idiocy.”

The crackle of a radio sounded, and while Hero couldn’t pick up what came through it, she did catch what the man who it belonged to said.

“All the Project Warfell weapons have been found deceased,” he informed grimly. “One body’s missing though. 34b.”

Superhero’s face paled, the full force of his fury directed at Handler. “Where is 34b?” he snarled. “What did you do with it?”

Handler stared past the gun’s barrel and locked eyes with Superhero, unafraid. “He has his orders," he said with a threatening smile, “and let’s just say… he hunts better than you hide.”

Villain Carewhumper x Stubborn Hero Whumpee part 11

Warnings: LIVING WEAPON VILLAIN, murders, lots of blood, relived memory, bullet wounds, living weapon gone rogue

An icy shiver ran up Hero’s spine, the command slipping past authorized mental barricades and lodging itself deep into her mind. She wasn’t supposed to take orders from unauthorized personnel. Unless they used a failsafe code.

“I understand,” she said, and slipped the drive into a pocket.

“Good.” Handler nodded approvingly, stepping past her and walking straight over to the nearest table – one full of beakers with unknown liquids – and started swiping things onto the floor, smashing glass and destroying anything he could reach. “Stand watch, alert me if anyone is coming.”

Hero stood rigidly posted at the door as requested, the sound of shattering glass and ripping paper filling the air behind her. But then a sound came from in front of her, and her hypersensitive ears locked in on it. It was far away in the distance, but unmistakably boots on gravel. Several pairs. The clink of guns and body armor accompanying it.

“Activity at West entrance,” she informed, turning back to face the wreckage. “Military. Silent alarm must have gone off. They are fully armed.”

Handler let out a string of curses under his breath, a mess of scattered, ruined research papers and files soaked in blood and chemicals strewn everywhere amongst the lifeless weapons on the floor.

“I haven’t found the main file yet,” he hissed angrily. “But we’re out of time. We’ll have to come back and search for it another day. It’ll be harder to infiltrate this place now that the element of surprise is gone, but it’s our only chance. Run.”

Villain Carewhumper x Stubborn Hero Whumpee part 10

Warnings: villain living weapon, active murders, slitting throats, lots of blood (choking/drowning in their own blood), relived memory

Gives some insight into Villain's dark past at Agency :)

But, after the exhausting, adrenaline-fueled day she'd had, and the pain medications coursing through her system, it wasn't long before her consciousness faded.

-------------------------------------------------------

Hero opened her eyes to find herself standing in Agency, at the doorway of a room she'd only been in a few times. In front of her were several young men standing with dead, blank stares, all lined up in a perfect row facing her. Their eyes had a strange, cloudy white film over them; glazed and unseeing.

She didn't know how she knew, but somehow she had the knowledge that these were weapons on shutdown for the night. They all wore matching black outfits, and had matching expressionless faces. There were seven of them in total.

Hero took exactly one quiet step into the room and all of them snapped to life in unison, instantly alert and out of shutdown, eyes returning to normal human-like lucidity as the cloudiness vanished in a heartbeat. Except the dude on the far left, who remained unresponsive, still staring off into the distance. A flaw with that version that needed fixing.

The weapons all watched Hero as she walked closer, no emotion in their dark eyes. Keenly observant, but unfeeling. Distant. Detached from reality. They breathed, and were alive, but did not behave like humans.

Hero felt an unexplained wave of grief and sadness wash over her as she approached one of the men, standing toe-to-toe with him. He cocked his head to the side, looking down at her mutely and seeming to assess her.

Then Hero's hand suddenly swung forward in a swift movement, and she wanted to scream in terror when blood sprayed from the weapon's throat, which was now slashed wide open.

He crumpled to his knees, then fell to his side, clawing at his throat and body seizing violently with blood gushing all over the floor. Bleeding out. Dying.

Hero looked down at her hand in horror. Where the knife came from, she didn't know, but its weight was real and heavy in her palm. Come to think of it, she didn’t recognize her own body either.

Villain Carewhumper x Stubborn Hero Whumpee part 9

Warnings: VILLAIN LIVING WEAPON TROPE MMMM YES THE GOOD STUFF

"My ability to make choices was kept intact, which is why I am able to rebel. But Agency won't make that mistake twice."

"Wow, that is... a lot of information," Hero groaned. "I need some time to think about this."

"Understandable. It's late anyways, so you should get some sleep. Take another set of painkillers first to tide you through the night."

Hero grunted in acknowledgement, already reaching for the medical kit to retrieve some. She could feel the first dose slowly wearing off, muscles aches returning with vigor. "Since I'm stranded on the couch at the moment, you can sleep in my bedroom if you'd like," she begrudgingly offered, and dumped a few pills from a bottle into her hand.

"While the offer is appreciated... I don't sleep," Villain said. "I was made to be attentive at all hours, to avoid ever being caught off guard. I do go into temporary shutdown to gain 'rest', but it is set to a featherlight trigger so that any slight disturbances in my surroundings would rouse me."

"Is that why we could never get the drop on you at night?"

"Yes. No matter how stealthy your team thought they were being, I always knew they were coming far enough in advance to slip away without being caught."

"...Huh. So what will you do all night?”

"Keep watch until shutdown kicks in. Awaken if anything around me moves or shifts. I rarely get through a full shutdown cycle without at least a few false alarms."

"That's kinda depressing," Hero remarked offhandedly.

"Is it?"

"Isn't waking up so easily annoying?"

"It's more of a minor inconvenience than a true 'annoyance', I'd say." Villain tossed her a smug smile, his normal cocky self returning. "You, for instance, are an example of an 'annoyance'. Waking up in the night where I can easily shut myself back down is an example of an 'inconvenience'.”

Villain Carewhumper x Stubborn Hero Whumpee part 8

Warnings: PLOT TWIST! LIVING WEAPON TROPEEEEE, BET YOU DIDN'T SEE THIS ONE COMING XD *evil author cackling* -- mentions of murder

The unmasked criminal nodded grimly. "Hero, I am the weapon whose blueprints I want to destroy. So that Agency can't create any more like me."

Hero was rendered speechless, wide eyes fixated on the numbers inked in his skin.

"...You're Project Warfell, aren't you?" she whispered in shock, putting the pieces together.

Surprise darted across Villain’s face. "You know about that? Only high-clearence heroes are permitted to even hear the name."

"Yeah, I'm... pretty high in the ranks... but... I was told I was fighting you to bring you into Agency custody where they could interrogate you to find out where Project Warfell was. They said it was a piece of valuable machinery, and that only you knew its whereabouts."

"Well, they technically weren't lying," Villain mumbled. "I know my whereabouts."

"How do I know that's real, and not just a random tattoo?" Hero asked. It was certainly a convincing display, but if there was a way to verify its authenticity... that would be nice.

Villain pulled a phone from his pocket, unlocking the screen and holding it out to Hero. "Scan the code and it'll show you my details," he explained flatly. "Every weapon gets one to identify them."

Hero took the device from him, lining the camera up with the tattoo when Villain tilted his jaw to make it more visible. Her heart sank when a page opened on the screen. She wasn't ready for what she found.

Project Warfell, Property of Agency

Asset ID: 34b

SN: 62863970

Abilities: accelerated regeneration, ice, strength, memory projection (used in group settings alone to convey information to other assets in the area)

Training: combat, strategy, stealth

Weapon Status: class 6/10 threat

Version: prototype 1

Age & Gender: 26, male

Kill coun—

Villain Carewhumper x Stubborn Hero Whumpee part 7

Warnings: extremely stubborn hero, self-neglect due to stubbornness, MEGA LIVING WEAPON VIBES NEAR THE END! :D

She set the empty bowl down when she was done, placing her hands in her lap and attentively putting her full focus on Villain, one eyebrow arched in silent demand for answers.

Villain hesitated before speaking. "You are right, there... is a hidden motive. It's not the only reason I came to help you, but it is still a contributing factor to that choice."

"And?"

"The real reason I came is because... I hoped to potentially find an ally in you. Someone willing to help me in return."

...That was not any answer Hero would have ever imagined leaving her enemy's lips. She stared at him blankly, mulling over the words and processing them one at a time.

"You came seeking help... from me?" she finally sputtered once the initial confusion passed.

Villain nodded curtly. "Yes."

"With what? What could you possibly need my help for? You always work alone."

Villain ran a hand through his hair, looking conflicted beneath his mask. "I... want help destroying some research files in Agency's archives. I know you don't want to betray them, but what's in those files is something they were never supposed to learn about. Something so dangerous it's better if it's lost altogether than for even heroes to have access to it."

"...What's in the files?" Hero asked with a sinking feeling.

Villain bit his lip, wariness shining bright in his eyes. "It's... weapon plans. Very, very deadly weapon plans," he said slowly, clearly choosing his words carefully. "Ones with the ability to end millions of lives and even overthrow the whole government. "

"That's it? Just some weapon blueprints? I'm not helping you weaken Agency so you can get in and wreak havoc. But nice try. Agency keeps things under tight security; you don't have to worry about any 'weapon plans' being stolen and used for evil, if that's the concern."

Villain Carewhumper x Stubborn Hero Whumpee part 6

Warnings: extremely stubborn, cocky hero, self-neglect due to stubbornness, villain being a snarky carewhumper, (cuz Hero isn't taking proper care of herself), sudden collapse

"If you don't succeed, however... you'll agree to let me help you finish healing first, and then I will leave."

"And if I refuse to accept the challenge?"

"Then you lose by default, and I get to stay." Villain flashed her a charming smile, but nothing about it was friendly.

Hero let out a frustrated huff of air, but swung her legs over the edge of the couch anyway, pushing herself up just to prove she could.

...Her body did not approve of that idea. She almost collapsed on the spot. Almost. But by holding onto the edge of the couch, she steadied herself, though her balance was still shaky as a newborn fawn, threatening to fail her at any second.

She gritted her teeth in determination and took a wobbly step forward, letting go of her support. A thrill of delight raced up her spine when she managed it. Her head was full of heat, and her muscles ached fiercely, but she was still standing. And that was worth something. The medications in her system were probably to thank, but it was working.

She cast a sly, cocky grin at Villain, instantly made overconfident by her success. She took another bold step, aiming for the far side of the room -- and promptly ate dirt. Or rather, would have, had a pair of strong arms not caught her a millisecond before her face hit the floor.

Hero blinked black spots from her vision, wheezing. She must have passed out for only a moment. But it was still a moment too long. Her legs had buckled, and she'd instantly failed the challenge.

She genuinely wanted to cry. Embarrassment withered her heart to a lump of despair. How could she have failed at something as easy as walking???

"I suppose I have to admire your stubborn determination," Villain said with a surprised laugh, shifting his grip to help her back to the couch. "Got further than I thought you would, even if you still faltered in the end. Congrats."

Hero sank miserably into the cushions when he let go of her. "Guess this means I'm stuck with you for awhile, doesn't it?" she groaned, a headache setting in.

"Yes. But I will try to make it bearable for you.” Villain pressed two cold fingers to the inside of her wrist, checking her pulse.

"Does this mean I can treat you as my own personal servant?"

"Don't push it, Hero. I will respect you as long as you respect me in return."

Villain Carewhumper x Stubborn Hero Whumpee part 5

Warnings: extremely stubborn hero, self-neglect due to stubbornness, debriding infected wounds, villain being a snarky carewhumper, painful forced wound care (cuz Hero isn't taking proper care of herself), passing out from pain

It must have been the strong stuff, because the effects hit fast. A pleasant buzz filled her head, soothing the sharpest pains into dull aches.

"Should be fully kicked in by now. Ready?" Villain asked, putting on a pair of medical gloves.

Hero gave a curt nod, still flinching when his hands touched her skin. While the pain was lessened now, it was still very much present, and she bit her tongue hard to keep from crying out as Villain skillfully debrided the wound, scraping away dead tissue with precise movements.

Hero occasionally twitched and groaned when the pain was too much, but was determined not to let it escalate to a scream. She was desperate to retain any last scrap of dignity she had left.

She was left breathing hard through her nose, jaw clenched so hard it was a wonder she didn't crack any teeth by the time Villain had finished cleaning it up. But then he brought out a bottle of sterilization fluid from the kit, and Hero's heart plummeted to the souls of her feet with icy dread.

Villain uncapped it, nose wrinkling at the sharp scent of the contents. His gaze briefly darted to meet Hero's, a flicker of regret in it.

"This is... probably going to be the worst pain you'll ever experience," he warned. "I made this formula myself. It helps things heal faster than any form of wound sterilization hospitals use, but it will also sting like hell. Brace yourself."

Hero's eyes widened when he poured some out on a ball of cotton, saturating it before bringing it to her injury.

'Sting like hell' was the absolute, most horrific understatement ever. It was excruciating. No amount of pride or willpower kept Hero from shrieking in agony, back arching off the cushions. She writhed weakly, screaming her lungs out as the fluid burned through the raw wound, sinking its teeth into every last nerve and setting them on fire.

Villain Carewhumper x Stubborn Hero Whumpee part 4

Warnings: extremely stubborn hero, self-neglect due to stubbornness, infected wounds, villain being a snarky carewhumper, painful forced medical care (cuz Hero isn't taking proper care of herself), suffocation, forced to swallow pills

Villain heaved an exasperated sigh. "Play with fire long enough and you'll get burned," he muttered under his breath, and promptly pinched her nose shut with his free hand, cutting off her air.

Hero's eyes widened in panic, head pounding with pain.

"Don't give me that look," Villain said gruffly, "you can breathe when you open your mouth, it's not that hard."

Hero squirmed on the couch, trying weakly to throw her head to the side and dislodge his grip, but Villain didn't let up. Black spots soon danced in her vision, and her lungs spasmed violently in her chest, demanding she inhale. She fought the urge as long as she could, but primal instincts eventually took over and forced her to take a gulping gasp of air, unlocking her jaw.

The fingers on her nose instantly released, and Villain simultaneously shoved the pills between her teeth, yanking his hand away quick enough that she couldn't bite him.

Hero immediately tried to twist her head and spit the bitter pills out, but a firm hand suddenly wrapped around her throat, a second grabbing her jaw and sharply forcing it to stay pointed upright, gravity doing the rest of the work in keeping the medication settled at the back of her mouth.

She found herself staring straight up into Villain's dark, intense brown eyes. And for the first time, she was genuinely afraid of him. Having his menacing presence looming over her, hand poised where he could easily squeeze the life out of her... it was terrifying.

He'd never been this close to her before. Hero had never let him. But now she didn't have a choice, and that was the scariest thing of all. Her enemy could, and would, do whatever he wanted, with or without her cooperation. The realization was frightening, and sucked away all Hero's confidence and pride in one swift move.

Villain's thumb lightly pressed into the side of her neck in silent warning. "Swallow," he growled coldly.

Hero caved, throat bobbing against his hand as she reluctantly swallowed the pills.

Villain Carewhumper x Stubborn Hero Whumpee part 3

Warnings: extremely stubborn hero, self-neglect due to stubbornness, infected wounds, fever delirium/vertigo, "saved by the enemy" trope, stab wound, villain being a slightly aggressive, snarky carewhumper, painful forced medical care (cuz Hero isn't taking proper care of herself)

"Why did you come so prepared?" Hero demanded when Villain set the kit on the couch beside her, opening it up and rifling through the contents. "How did you know I was injured?"

"I keep close tabs on what goes on in Agency. They keep public reports on every hero's current status, and on your record there was a notice that you'd been taken off duty recently and hadn't returned. I naturally assumed that meant you were either horribly sick or injured. Fortunately, I brought supplies for both."

"And my address?"

"I once gained access to Agency's employee database a few years ago. It contained every Hero's personal information, including addresses."

Hero's eyes blew huge. "You've known everyone's civilian personas for years??"

"Yup," Villain casually confirmed, reading the label on a vial of unknown liquid.

Hero's mouth hung open in shock. "But Agency's personal database is impenetrable from the outside. Not even the best hackers can get into it. Does that mean we have a mole???"

"Not anymore. They're... dead, now."

"Why didn't you use that knowledge to take us out, then?" Hero sputtered, at a loss. "If you knew our locations, you could have wiped us all out. You could have been the first villain to successfully annihilate Agency's fighting forces."

"Because I'm not trying to wipe you out!" Villain snarled, eyes flashing with a sudden burst of anger before he visibly schooled his expression to be carefully neutral as he continued.

"Look, we need something like Agency to protect the city from superpowered criminals like me. But it cannot be the current agency in power. The corruption runs too deep. I want to wipe out the head of Agency itself to create space for new leaders with purer intentions; I have no quarrel with the naive heroes simply following the orders of evil men. It's not their fault they've been brainwashed."

He let out a slow breath. "Agency was created to be a team of elite protectors for civilians, but somewhere along the line, someone got a taste of power and decided to wield it in wicked ways. Agency needs to be brought to the ground and rebuilt better. Needs to be led by people who care more about saving lives than lining their pockets and creating weapons of mass destruction."

Villain Carewhumper x Stubborn Hero Whumpee part 2

Warnings: extremely stubborn hero, self-neglect due to stubbornness, infected/festering wounds, fever delirium/vertigo, some juicy pain & suffer, "saved by the enemy" trope, stab wound, villain being a slightly aggressive, snarky carewhumper

Villain hissed in pain, examining the deep gash on his arm steadily dripping blood onto the floor. "Damn. Got me good," he growled. "Stay put until I get back. You're in no condition to run anyway." With that, he stormed away, looking royally pissed off.

Hero felt a flicker of pride at that, but it was quickly crushed by the realization that Villain was right; he didn't even have to bother tying her up. She would be sprawled on the floor in the same exact spot he left her in when he returned to carry out whatever evil plan he had -- kill or torture her, most likely.

She took slight reassurance in knowing that her body was already at its limit; if torture was the end goal, Villain wouldn't be able to make her suffer for very long before her body gave out under the strain. Even if he tried to drag it out, her death would be fairly quick.

Hero pressed her too-hot cheek against the wooden floorboards, seeking even the slightest bit of cold relief against the raging inferno of her skin. It wasn't much, but it was the tiniest mercy she could allow herself as the adrenaline rush began to wane, leaving her even more exhausted than before. She could only lie and wait in apprehensive silence for her enemy's return.

Villain reappeared a short while later, arm wrapped in bandages and nose no longer crooked and bleeding. He looked less pissed now, and more so just... annoyed and irritated.

"Okay, look. I am honestly trying to help you here," he said, approaching her a bit more cautiously than before. "I'll cut the sass if you agree to let me fix you up. You're practically half-dead."

"Who do you care?" Hero spat, head throbbing with heat. "I'd think you'd be happy to see your rival at death's door. Maybe even give them a nudge through it. One less Agency member standing in your way."

"I didn't come to kill you, Hero."

"Yeah right," Hero scoffed, lip curling in a feeble sneer. "Everyone wants to kill me."

Something dark flickered across Villain's masked face, there and gone again in a heartbeat. "I do believe that Agency is corrupt and needs to be stopped. That doesn't mean I want any of the heroes who work there dead. Just because we are on opposing sides doesn't mean I want to kill you. I want to stop Agency with as little bloodshed as possible."

Villain Carewhumper x Stubborn Hero Whumpee part 1

Warnings: extremely stubborn hero, self-neglect due to stubbornness, infected/festering wounds, fever delirium/vertigo, some juicy pain & suffer, "saved by the enemy" trope, stab wound, painful help

TO THE ANON WHO REQUESTED THIS STORY: you are in for a HUGE surprise! Originally I wrote your request as a simple short story, but before I knew it, it reached 5k words, then 10k, 20k... and now it's a whole series with lots of HUGE plot twists 😅

It's so long that I had to break it up into many smaller posts, of which I will be posting 1 every day or every other day for the near future, so if you check back often, you'll get to read the whole thing as new parts get released. HOPE YOU LIKE IT! :D

Also, @piplupfluffwritingstuff2 wrote something insanely similar to this, so I'll link it here in case anyone wants to check it out too (and piplup, please let me know if you'd like to be tagged in the future parts of this one :D)

Hero was sick. Very, very sick. She'd like to blame the various villains she'd battled lately for giving her the now-infected stab wound in her side alongside other injuries, but in reality, she knew it was partially her own fault. She'd been negligent; not taking care of herself like she should have. Being too busy to apply proper medical dressings, as her excuse was.

Her team depended on her. Criminals wouldn't stop committing crime just because one hero was downed. No, she needed to keep going; keep showing up to fight after fight, pushing herself well beyond her limits until her body physically gave out, even when the mind was willing to continue.

And it was those choices that landed her here. Sprawled facedown on the couch in her living room with a high fever and raging infection coursing through her body, sapping all her energy and leaving her twitching in agony, unable to do much more than lie there, miserable.

Hero had done a good job of hiding it at first, but the instant she started faltering Leader had caught on to her weakness like a shark smelling blood in the water, and instantly took her off the team to force her to rest and recover.

That was two days ago. But her condition was only getting worse.

It was hard to take care of herself when her muscles felt so weak, when she felt so horribly tired all the time and barely able to walk through the constant tremors wracking her figure.

She hadn't eaten or drunk water in far too long, but couldn't find the energy to drag herself off the couch and get some. Everything hurt too much, and she was practically delirious with pain. Her vision had started getting funky last night, and she didn't trust that she could stand on her own two feet without toppling over and injuring herself further. Her balance was terrible, her head hurt, her skin was on fire, and all she wanted to do was melt into the couch and fall into blissful unconsciousness.

She was probably dehydrated -- scratch that, definitely dehydrated, and she had enough conscience to know that with the fever sweat constantly coating her clammy skin, it would only dehydrate her further, compounding her dilemma tenfold. But she just couldn't do anything about it right now. All she could do was waste away on the cushions, feeling sorry for herself -- and also angry. Angry that she was letting her team down because her stupid wounds just had to throw a tantrum and get infected. Angry that she was practically rotting away and unable to help herself.

She was the kind of independent person who always did things on her own. Who patched her own wounds, managed her own schedule, and always showed up for everyone else. She hated how weak she was now.

The logical move would be to call one of her teammates to come help once she realized she was in over her head. But she hadn't wanted anyone to see her like this, so she didn't. And now her phone was out of reach, where she couldn't call anymore without moving off the couch; a feat that was becoming more and more impossible with every hour that passed.

She'd tried to get up a few times already. Every effort failed. Her ravaged body couldn't handle any more exertion, giving out each time.

Injured Sidekick series bonus scene: stumbling into an old acquaintance part 3

Warnings: mentioned past trauma & abusive relationship between mentor & apprentice, forced submission and humiliation (in the form of begging/kissing boots), awkward hug scene near the end, mentioned past character suicide

“Okay, now I have to know. Just how desperate are you to be let go? What are you willing to do to earn it?”

Dread overtook Hero’s features, but he gave a reply he knew his ex-apprentice would appreciate. “Whatever you want.”

Vigilante smiled wolfishly. “Whatever I want?”

“Vigilante,” Henchman growled in warning.

The cocky brat just tossed him a smirk over his shoulder, rolling his eyes. “Relax, I won’t take it too far. I know some lines shouldn’t be crossed, and I’ll respect that.” He turned his focus back to Hero… and abruptly released him, standing up and taking a step back.

Hero tracked him with scared eyes, not daring to move despite no longer being pinned down.

Vigilante nodded approvingly at that.

“Kiss my boot,” he demanded, and the command barely left his mouth before Hero was doing it, wincing in pain as he got to his hands and knees and hunched down to press his lips to the top of Vigilante’s combat boots, one and then the other.

There was zero hesitation; no trace of disgust or embarrassment in Hero’s expression at the degrading task. He just looked relieved.

Vigilante scoffed, lip curling, but his expression showed only smug satisfaction. "Now do the same for Sidekick, to show how sorry you are for all the times you hurt him."

Sidekick stiffened when Hero turned his desperate eyes on him. This was wrong. Oh so horribly wrong. But he didn't flinch away when Hero shuffled closer to him, kissing each of his plain sneakers and whispering a faded 'sorry' under his breath.

Sidekick was extremely uncomfortable with it, a turmoil of emotions swirling through him.

Anger. Grief. Sadness. Sympathy. He couldn't figure out how to feel about this. Seeing his old mentor brought low before him, humiliating himself at his feet... it didn't sit right with him. But there was another part of him -- tiny, cruel and vicious -- that enjoyed it. And he didn't like that.

He suddenly noticed the red droplets on the ground under Hero when the man leaned back to sit on his heels, one arm wrapped protectively around his midsection.

"Are you bleeding?" he asked before he could think twice about how it might sound. How it might give off the impression that he cared.

Hero refused to meet his eyes, but gave a stiff nod, pulling his arm away to reveal that a splotch of red had soaked through his cloak. He'd probably torn an injury open during the struggle.

"Get up." Hero lurched to his feet at Sidekick's request, staring intently at the ground and apprehensively awaiting further instruction.

Sidekick exchanged a hesitant glance with Vigilante, who merely nodded at him respectfully. A single gesture showing that he was giving him the final choice over Hero's fate -- Vigilante already had his fun. The rest was in Sidekick's hands.