#fallen out

January, Year 39

[I think I am doing this right?

I love your writing it is always amazing and something completely new. I was wondering if you could do one about a hero and their deaf twin. If not then that is okay. Just know that you make my days better, I hope writing these makes your days better too.]

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This was sent before I specified the whole write-ups going to the ask box thing so I’m not bothered about it being a submission, but for future reference, well, write-ups go in the ask box. At the minute, my writing is everything, so thank you so much for all of your support- all of you. Everything from donations to notes just makes me feel so much better. I couldn’t do this without you guys and I love you all. <3

Hero had just finished handing an offender over to police when they felt their phone vibrate in their zipped pocket. They disappeared into an alley and looked down at the message, it was from Twin. I need to see you. It can’t wait. Hero groaned. They knew it wasn’t going to be good news. Twin didn’t usually stay in contact with them, so a text out of the blue didn’t bode well.

While they were alone, Hero stripped out of their costume and into their close-fitting clothes beneath. It wasn’t particularly comfortable, but it worked. Ok, where are you? Hero text back.

Your street. You weren’t in.

Hero let their head fall back and hit against the wall. That was a long way to go. 

Hero went to fetch the backpack they’d hidden in a different alleyway, bundled the clothes inside and then took off running, bringing the bag with them. It was quite some distance to home, but Hero had enough stamina to get them back home. Hero just couldn’t help but dread what it was Twin had to tell them.

It felt like Twin hadn’t been forced to wait too long until Hero came into view, covered in sweat and struggling to catch their breath. It took Hero a minute before they could do more than a wave. Twin rolled their eyes, signed for the key and held their hand out. Hero gave it to them, adding a quick “sorry” in sign language. Hero worked on catching their breath while Twin unlocked the door.

Hero noticed they seemed irritated, but once they got into the house, that anger just turned into worry. “Cleaner than you were expecting?” Hero smirked, signing as they spoke. Twin nodded. They looked so small and shy all of a sudden, chewing their nails.

Hero left them sitting down while they made them both drinks. They couldn’t stop sending glances to the back of Twin’s head. What was going on? The kettle felt like it took forever to boil, and Hero’s nerves only worsened with every second that passed. Twin looked worse and worse as the minutes progressed.

Hero finally brought the drinks over and set them on the table, just in time for Twin to suddenly hug them, and burst into tears. At a loss, Hero simply held them. They didn’t know what to do.

Twin tried to get a hold of themselves quickly, scrubbing their eyes with their sleeve. Then they signed “Sorry.”

“Don’t be. [Twin], what’s wrong?”

Twin’s hands were shaking, but they signed “When you were fighting and your mask almost fell off. They think that was me. I got fired for disappearing a lot.” Disappearing to help Hero, Hero realised. “They can’t do that!” Hero exclaimed, their hands working to copy what they said.

“They have. Leaving a lot was enough of an excuse. I couldn’t defend myself because it would give you away.”

Hero sat stunned for a moment. They’d had to give up their job for them. “I’m so sorry.”

“I don’t want sorry.” Twin responded flatly.  “I don’t understand why you’re still running around. You save people but at the cost of your life- always at the cost of mine, and you don’t care.”

“I do care!” Hero said. “You know I do. But once you’ve seen what I see, when you know what happens to people, it’s so hard to turn away.”

“I’m not going to argue, but I couldn’t find a job and I can’t afford the rent anymore. I don’t know what to do.” Twin pulled a face. “I did have money saved, but it’s gone.”

“You need to move in with me?” Hero guessed. Twin nodded. “Of course you can. How long do you have left at your place?”

Hero didn’t expect them to respond with “Tonight. They will take my key tomorrow.” Hero nodded. Shit. They’d waited until the last minute, they’d waited to be absolutely sure there was no other option. It hurt, thinking about it that way, to realise Twin would rather anything else but to live with them. They tried not to take it to heart. 

“Drink, and then I’ll drive you to your place. We can start moving things.” Twin agreed and picked up their cup. They were left in still silence.

Driving to Twin’s place wasn’t a problem, but neither of them expected to see the door was slightly open.

Hero didn’t bother to ask if Twin had locked the door. They knew they would have. They would double and triple check every time, they even did it with their door. They knew it was someone uninvited. Hero tried to put their nerves at rest by assuming it was the landlord, but they braced for the worst.

Twin was already out of the car and ready to investigate. “Hey- oh you think I’d learn!” Hero had to rush to keep up. They pushed in front of Twin so they could go in first.

Hero approached the door and called out, “Hey?! Who’s in here?!” 

There was no reply. 

“Show yourself and I’ll let you go. Last warning!” 

Nothing.

Hero frowned and went further in. They glanced over their shoulder to check if Twin was following them, and they were, looking eager to see what had happened to their house.

Hero went into the first room and put the light on. Everything was intact. The TV was still there, and any other obvious valuables.

“Weird,” they mumbled.

“Hello, [Hero],” someone purred.

Hero threw their head around, realising Twin was in the doorway, visible to anyone in the corridor, but they hadn’t heard the person call out. They hadn’t realised someone was there! “Look out!” The words leapt out of their throat before they could help it. Despite their twin being deaf most of their life, they were still stupid enough to try. Twin still saw the fear in their face, but it all came too late.

A shot fired out. Twin saw the movement, but the next thing they knew they were on the floor screaming in pain and clutching onto their leg. Hero grabbed them under the shoulders and dragged them into the room, safe from any other bullets. They heard footsteps as the assailant drew closer.

Hero picked up an ornament and was ready to hit them in the head. Only when the shooter came into their sights, there was more than one. One of them was Villain.

Villain paused for a moment and sighed. “Twins… I might have known.” Hero stood their ground in front of their twin. They could hear their pain, but they didn’t dare turn around.

“Back off,” Hero snarled.

Villain kept the gun aimed at their chest. “Actually no. I’m going to need both of you in that case.”

“They’ve been shot!” Hero snapped, “They need a Doctor-”

“And I need [Hero], and no witnesses.” Hero snarled, knocked the gun aside and clobbered Villain with the ornament, trying to push them all back but without success. Someone grabbed their wrist, then the other. It was a mad struggle for freedom. No shots were fired, but as soon as Hero was almost detained, one of their henchmen slipped past them and grabbed onto their Twin. 

Hero was only alerted to it when they screamed. They turned, seeing their twin at gunpoint. The guards immediately held onto them tighter, adjusting their grips. “Stand down, or I shoot,” Henchman warned. Hero let the rest of the ornament fall out of their hands. Slowly, their body relaxed and the Henchmen rushed to restrain them.

Villain hissed as they touched their head where Hero had hit them. “Take them both, quickly,” they ground out. They brought their fingers away to show blood.

Hero couldn’t sign to Twin. They couldn’t beg for forgiveness or tell them it was going to be alright. Twin was too distracted to even look. They cried out as one of the men tied a bandage around their thigh to slow the bleeding, and with their hands behind their back, there was little either of them could do to communicate.

Hero hoped the look they gave them was enough before they were dragged out. But they hoped it didn’t give away the sheer terror and wrenching feeling in their gut of not knowing what to do.

Sniper and Spy have fallen out but Medic seem to be interested in someone’s butt XD <3