a scientist's hail mary

and some ocs otw, will post a promo here when it’s done but under hecka construction rn 

he’s never been so grateful for his boom tubes. seriously. and that’s including the time he helped bring a bunch of heroes home after saving the universe with halo. he thought returning to his old school was the move after he took on the name CYBORG. turns out, he was wrong. shocker. vic shrugs off his backpack as soon as he steps out of the glowing portal, muttering to himself all the way to the kitchen. “what kinda genius are you--” he hisses, ripping open the fridge door and grabbing a can of his favorite soda. it’s all sugar, his coach called it ‘body rot’. doesn’t matter much now. “a bad one, that’s what.” 

he slams the door and magnets clatter against the tile floor. “great, you absolute brute.” he sighs, bending down to pick them up. when he straightens, night.wing is standing there, watching him.

“JEEZE!” he yelps, jumping back. didn’t he have super hearing? why isn’t it working? “warn a guy before you interrupt his mope sesh, okay? and--and before you say something. i am whelmed. it’s embarrassing how whelmed i am.” he can’t look unstable--he just landed this gig. what if they kick him out? ‘you’re too much for the team now, vic. no metas allowed--that includes being part robot.’  his coach had said, even had the audacity to follow it up with ‘glad to see you again, kiddo.’ as if he didn’t crush the last bits of hope vic had regarding football.

“we will go with the east titans to help them with a mission.”  that’s what richard said before he went with the toohers leaving vic and her in charge. not kuje the city needed them right now, but just in case. she has been watching movies since they leave the tower, and it’s kinda weird how the girls have sleepovers and do girly  things. she has done those things with donna before, even rae has joined them sometimes. the idea of making vic join to her on it right now doesn’t go as hard as she thought. 

her hair is on a high ponytail, and her face is all covered in that mask she usually uses wiith her friends. a soft smile curves her lips, but she tries to not smile a lot or it could start to come off.. ▬ why silly??  and think about your answer because if you say something like “it’s girl’s thing”  i am gonna hit you. - of course she is not seriousm but she has already heard wally saying that before. ▬ well, if face mask doesn’t help on your metal parts what could??  tell me because we need to take care of those parts too, vic. 

he snorts, shaking his head as he wipes his fingers on a hand towel. “aw, c’mon, gimme more credit than that. anyone can get with a skincare routine.” the thick, opaque goo is already starting to dry. he can feel his skin tighten underneath it--is it supposed to sting a little? the last time he did one of these, he was getting ready for homecoming with his ex. faintly, he remembers her explaining that a little discomfort goes a long way.

nudging her ankle with his socked foot, he tries to cover how overwhelmed he is by her thoughtfulness. he’s used to maintaining himself. keeping his body ready to fight the good fight. vic’s unsure if there’s a way to take gentle care of the bits that aren’t flesh;  it’s kori’s concern that  nearly chokes him up. “dunno if they make luxury masks for what i got, goldie. maybe i’ll take an oil bath or somethin’.” deflect, he needs to deflect. “hey--isn’t hair braidin’ a part of this? turn around, let’s see if i still got it.” 

>>  @fightstars​  sent :  🎉  

They’ve been going nonstop since nightfall. Two jewelry stores were nearly burgled, a top-security lab was infiltrated, and they’ve already had a fight in the sewers. His body may not have hit exhaustion, but his mind is creeping towards it. Still, the rush that comes from a fight is indescribable. He wouldn’t wanna be anywhere else than fighting an endless hoard of...robot ninjas? Honestly, not the weirdest thing thrown their way this year. Hell, this month. Whoever sent them clearly wanted to distract the young heroes, so their leader called for a strategic split. The powerhouses would take care of the bots while the others tracked down the source. 

He prefers it when they’re all duking it out side by side as a team; however, he can’t deny how electrifying it is when he and his favorite princess are on their own.  Victor’s back presses against hers as he readies his sonic canon. His free hand grips hers. ‘Twister maneuver,’ He thinks, just as she shoots them into the air. They rarely have to speak when it’s just the two of them--their attack patterns have been synced since he can remember. Kory squeezes his hand, shooting power through his palm and into his system. It’s ten times better than adrenaline. The way heat trickles through his wires and begins to gather in the bore of his weaponized limb reminds him he’s alive.

“Showtime, Starry!” He shouts, glee tinting his words. Poor bots don’t know what’s coming for them. 

As she spins them, he releases the beam of sonic energy toward their enemies. Metallic bodies fly apart, ripping into each other and collapsing in sparking heaps. Her energy continues to curse through his mostly artificial veins until the last one drops. It explodes before it hits the ground. Once their feet are on solid ground he’s swinging her around by the waist, laughing freely. 

“I swear, we just get better an’ better--” He’s interrupted by a cracking BOOM. In a split second, he’s on edge, scanning the area for another foe. He could have sworn he got them all--was his system malfunctioning?  Was it damaged when he got shocked earlier?

His panic is cut short by warm hands catching his cheeks and guiding him into a sweet, soft kiss. His hold on her loosens as he responds equally tender. Confusion gathers in his brow as the alien pulls back, her green eyes glimmering from the fleeting bursts of light in the sky. 

“Happy New Year, Victor.”

It’s midnight already? They get a simultaneous buzz, coordinates to a rendezvous point, no doubt.

vic knew he was a disappointment to his parents pretty early on. there’s not a defining moment, but he can recall the looks on their faces when he begged to go run around outside instead of working with his tutors. he can still hear his mother’s exhausted sigh when he asked to play kickball with kids at the park instead of focusing on the chessboard in front of him. 

his mother would tell him his brain is too beautiful to waste on sports; a concussion could be detrimental. his father was less poetic about it, and often scolded him for not realizing how many opportunities he was wasting. 

when he got old enough, he bargained to take on extra tutoring work, which accelerated him well beyond his years, if he could play on local teams. contact sports were a hard No. so he played baseball instead. he loved it. a lot. but he had difficulty making friends because he was acutely aware he was Different. he didn’t go to school and he was further along in education; he came off as a ‘know it all’ when he tried to participate in conversations. vic struggled with fitting in and even though he was a part of a team, he still felt lonely. he didn’t quit the team, though, because when they were actually playing the game or at practice, he blended in seamlessly. he didn’t have to talk. just play. and he played well.

most of his interactions pre-public school were with adult tutors or at baseball practice. his parents were often at the lab and didn’t make a lot of time for him. being around them actually gave vic a lot of anxiety because he knew he would upset them eventually. he didn’t talk much about sports because they were already against it, so he would discuss his studies which he wasn’t interested in. growing up, vic had most of his meals alone. he went to bed without hugs or kind words. he woke up and the first person he often saw was a caretaker. 

it wasn’t until he hit his early teens when he began sneaking out and exploring the city more often. he met some kids a few years older than him and they absorbed him into their group. he was introduced to new music, hangout spots, skateboarding, and  eventually violence. he wanted to protect his friends by any means necessary, so when they fought? he fought, too. even if he didn’t agree with their behavior. he was arrested after knives were brought into a fight (he didn’t have one, he was mortified when he saw the blades) and his father threatened to disown him (age 15). his mother suggested that vic needs friends, and convinced silas to enroll him in high school.

vic was an outcast until he joined the track team, then he went on to join the football team. sports brought him friends. he was happy. his mother got sick shortly after that, and they began to spend more time together. she supported his endeavors as her health declined. this is why vic remembers her fondly. 

she dies, the accident happens, and he loses everything. his friends, his girlfriend, his future. he’s alone again, but instead of hiding away at home he’s surrounded by scientists.

then raven finds him. she gives him a chance at family. he finds a home, and for the first time he genuinely feels appreciated despite his flaws. he knows they can’t stay like this forever. he’s been terrified of the day that he’s by himself again.

that he’ll be there again: 

a kid on the steps, staring at the front door. praying it opens.

the lock stays firmly in place, the door doesn’t budge.

he takes himself to bed. 

ruined by loneliness

you are so lonely. you are miserable in your solitude. you hate that you cannot bring yourself to reach out, to ask for help. you will be forgotten by all who never knew you. your biggest fear is that you will die alone, and you know this fear will be seen to fruition. you refuse to extend yourself beyond the box that others put you in. and it is a box that no one dare come near. you are lonely because you are afraid of yourself.

borrowed from: @webgreat