#pavlov

He barely had the strength to keep his eyes open, everything nearly blurring into a blank state of white noise. Yet he wouldn’t dare close them. 

Every time he passed out—be it from sheer exhaustion—or every time he closed his eyes for just too long, everything got so much worse. 

The main screen in front of him was a simple computer monitor. Its brightness was maxed out along with its sound. The news channel had been covering a missing persons case over the last couple days. It was a friend of a friend. One of Myra’s best friends. 

Milo knew Myra wouldn’t be able to find her on her own. She was anxiety prone and easily distractible. Any low-tier villain could freak her out and mislead her easily enough. It would definitely distract her from doing any work too. Just leading to more casualties. 

Milo would at least be able to help. Get her back on track. Get the team back together. 

Maybe even worst of all, Myra was friends with regular people. Astrid had probably just planned this all out to torment him. Start putting wedges in his team- just making him feel like more of a loser of a team leader. 

It was his own damn fault he’d been kidnapped and imprisoned for multiple days at this point. At first it was bearable, while he was alert. Astrid had placed him in a room with light and electricity. Which would be a stupid move on her part since that was basically his whole thing. 

Only Astrid wasn’t stupid and wouldn’t make a stupid move like that. 

As the hours were passing, it was becoming harder to think. Tens and hundreds of active investigations, cases he’d already been working on, even a classic cat up a tree. A huge and luminous display of all the ways he was failing to protect his city. Countless people in need. Disasters and accidents alike that he could have easily aided in. 

Then social media gossip. People speculating he’d just ran away. Maybe he was on a vacation at a particularly bad time. 

Selfish. Useless. Coward. 

Even his own fans were beginning to doubt him. 

Occasionally Astrid would mute every channel but one, forcing him to hear whatever tragedy or slander was being broadcast. 

Then the screens shut off all at once, plunging the room into immediate darkness. Milo’s heart spiked even higher than he ever thought it could. He couldn’t look around but he knew she was here. 

He heard the door behind him open, dim light pouring in. Time stretched on forever, Astrid’s footsteps echoing in the chamber, taking her sweet sweet time. 

Then a hand, hovering over his shoulder not yet daring to touch him. Instead of heat, he felt the cold of her hand radiating from her skin. 

She had never touched him, only hovered. Until now, when she placed down her hand on his shoulder. Even through the wearing fabric of his suit, he could feel the sting of it. Like the tingling sensation of being freshly slapped. Only she need only graze her finger across his skin to send sparks running through him. 

It was well-known, Astrid had a deadly touch. A kind of electric poison that could bring any creature to its demise. 

Perhaps after all this time, she’d had enough of torturing him. Milo closed his eyes expectantly … only to be met with another sting on his other shoulder. 

His muscles jumped and spasmed involuntarily, pressing his raw skin harder into the restraints. He let out a muffled whimper.  

Astrid hummed in satisfaction. 

“Milo …” 

She said his name breathily, leaning in close to his ear. 

It was the only sound he’d heard in days that was soft and gentle. Each time she entered the room, she always said his name first. It was becoming an addiction to hear. 

At first it was venom. A bitter thing used to taunt him. She always entered the room at the perfect time to keep him awake. Always interrupting right before he could dissociate from the noise. 

Then it was solace. She’d shut off the screens and the chaos. She wasn’t even mean. 

He could listen to her say his name over and over again, if it would just mean he could be at peace. 

Milo’s eyes were beginning to well with tears, after finally closing them for longer than a few seconds. The bright lights and lack of sleep were heavily drying. 

“Milo, I know you want to rest your eyes but we can’t have that.”

With his mouth taped over, all he could manage was a muffled scream as Astrid pulled open his eyes. For the first time, using her bare hands against his face. 

He felt awake all at once. The sensation of thousands of hot needles pricking his skin, ricocheting between his bones. Combined with her cold skin, Milo felt white hot pain sear through him. 

“Shush darling, no need to scream,” only Astrid dug her fingers into his skin more, gripping his jaw in her hands. The layer of tape only helped a bit.

Milo choked, his dry throat barely letting him scream at all. Tears were beginning to slip from the corners of his eyes. 

“I can make all of this go away.”

Astrid tenderly wiped his tears away. Though really only eliciting more, sending blows of sharp pain straight through Milo’s skull. 

The pain and saccarine tone of Astrid’s voice pulled at any remaining thoughts from Milo’s head. Almost nothing kept his mind tethered down as Astrid continued plunging her fingers into any exposed skin she could. 

“Just focus on my voice Milo.”

Each letter of his name rolled effortlessly off her tongue. Even as she made him thrash against his restraints, she didn’t say it with any contempt. Not like the hundreds of news anchors, fellow heroes and sidekicks, or even his own fans. 

She always said his name slowly and with care. Like he was the most precious thing in the world to her. 

“Breathe in and out. Slowly …” she loosened her grip. “You don’t have to think about what’s going on outside. Just listen to what I say.”