#fluffle

The paramedics tending to Hero froze as Supervillain pointed right at the crime-fighter.

“You- you want Hero?” Chief asked.

A fireball which Chief barely managed to dodge answered their question.

“Yes,” Supervillain said, “I want Hero. Give yourself up, Snowdrop, or the entire city will pay.”

Hero drew shallow breaths as though the wind had been knocked out of them. Maybe Supervillain had sucked the air from their lungs?

The paramedics stood in front of Hero, as did the officers, and the members of the brigade that weren’t actively putting out a fire.

“You want Hero? You go through us!” an EMT shouted.

“Very well,” Supervillain shrugged and cracked their knuckles.

They readied another fireball, but Hero pushed their way to the front of the throng.

“Wait! No!”

They almost stumbled, but the emergency workers held them up.

“Will you give your word that no one else will get hurt?” Hero asked.

Supervillain descended, landing in front of Hero. They held out a hand.

“I promise that all the carnage will stop the moment you take my hand.”

Hero nodded, swallowing the lump in their throat. They staggered over, taking their hand. Their knees buckled just as Supervillain pulled them in. Now the criminal’s grip was the only thing keeping Hero vertical.

They leaned in so that their lips ghosted the shell of Hero’s ear.

“Well done,” Supervillain whispered.

They sprang into the air without warning, repositioning Hero into a bridal carry despite their panicked yelp. They soared back to their lair, nearly breaking the sound barrier. The entire city watched in silence until the superpowered pair faded from sight. They were left to clean up the chaos with no Hero to protect them.

…

Hero had passed out three times on the journey. They were just coming back around as Supervillain laid them on a soft hospital bed.

Where Hero lay was no hospital. It was a state-of-the-art medical facility, yes, but more importantly, it was Supervillain’s personal med bay.

Supervillain sat down at their bedside, having traded their suit’s gloves for nitrile ones. They rolled up Hero’s sleeve and winced quietly at the wound they saw.

“You poor thing,” they muttered.

Hero watched them with wide eyes. Was this when the torture would start? They squeezed their eyes shut as a syringe came close. They felt the pinch and braced themselves for whatever horrible sensation they were going to feel.

A soothing numbness spread throughout their arm and across their battered body. Hero cracked an eye open. Supervillain pulled a needle in and out, weaving thread across their skin and sewing the wound shut.

They caught Hero’s gaze and held it for a moment before turning to Hero’s next injury.

“You should rest,” they said, “I’ll take care of you.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Hero blurted.

Supervillain smirked to themselves.

“What do you mean by that?” they asked, though it was clear they fully understood Hero’s words.

“You’re going to kill me,” Hero said, “o-or torture me and then kill me, or just torture me forever-”

“Well, we can immediately rule the first two out from the simple fact that I am actively working to patch you up,” Supervillain said softly, “and since I’m a nice person, I’ll go ahead and tell you that the third option is also false. I have no intention of ever harming you, Snowdrop.”

“Then why…?”

Supervillain finished their work and discarded the nitrile gloves. Their bare hand tucked a lock of hair behind Hero’s ear.

“No more questions, you need to rest. You are mine, and you are safe.”

They pressed a kiss to Hero’s forehead, which Hero couldn’t avoid thanks to the numbing drug.

Supervillain stood and headed for the door, unfastening their cape and setting it on a chair. Hero could see their chiseled muscles through their suit. Despite themselves, pink creeped into their cheeks.

“Oh. Yes. I nearly forgot.”

Supervillain came back over and produced a few padded straps. They applied the restraints to Hero’s limbs, cinching them snug but not uncomfortably so.

“I fear you will panic when you wake up,” they said, “my home is like a maze to those unfamiliar with it, and I don’t want you to get lost in your condition.”

Hero’s gaze bounced between the straps and the master criminal.

“Please take them off,” Hero pleaded, “I won’t panic, I-”

“Snowdrop, you’re panicking right now,” Supervillain chided gently, “I know what’s best for you. Trust me with that at least.”

They injected something into Hero’s IV line (when did they get hooked up to an IV?) and pulled a deviously soft blanket up to their chin.

“Go to sleep, I’ll be back when you wake.”

Hero had no option to refuse. Their eyelids grew heavy, and it was unclear whether Supervillain had dimmed the lights or if everything was going dark from the drug. Either way, within seconds, Hero was fast asleep, cradled in their adversary’s clutches.