#sprained wrist

Previously: June of Doom, Day Nine

I should have listened to you: smoke // sprain // defiance

*~*~*~*~*

Villain waited in an alleyway entrance across the street from the Academy, the shadows moulding around them. Hero asked them not to follow them and Villain trusted them, it wasn’t like they were spying, per se. It was more a… protective watch, just in case. Villain trusted Hero.

Villain trusted Hero.

It was Superhero they didn’t trust.

Superhero who delighted in dealing out harsh punishments to anyone who opposed them. To anyone who even thought of disobeying them. Villain wasn’t going to let Hero go through it alone, so they stayed close by and waited. If Hero needed them, Villain was there. If they didn’t… well, Villain was still there.

“Mmmm… late night rendezvous, Vil?”

Villain’s spine went straight, turning their body halfway to look down the alley where they could see the red dot of a burning cigarette. Followed by an exhale billowing of smoke and there Other Villain stepped out into the dim light of the academy’s windows. He was grinning ear to ear, the cigarette dangling precariously between his teeth.

“Fancy seeing you here,” said Other Villain, tone conversational. Eyes, anything but. Alight with interest and genuine surprise that it coloured his features intrigued. Eyebrows knitting together as his grin settled into a smirk, leaning his back against the opposite wall of the alleyway.

“Why are you here?” Villain asked, turning their body back to the Academy. Hero was taking a long time, or maybe it just felt like that as worry coiled deep in their chest. Other Villain’s sudden appearance wasn’t exactly helping put Villain at ease. He was like a black cat crossing Villain’s path, it only spelled trouble.

From the corner of their eye, Villain saw Other Villain shrug as they took another long inhale. “I’m here to see some friends of mine.”

Villain scoffed. “You don’t have friends.”

“You wound me, Villain. Aren’t we friends?”

No. “I don’t know, are we?”

A long, pregnant pause. Then, “you should save your flirting for that Hero of yours. Is that why you’re here?”

Villain could feel a traitorous blush tinge their cheeks at hearing Hero of yours, but praised the merciful night for hiding it in shadow.

Villain said nothing in reply.

Maybe that said everything.

Other Villain pushed off the wall and came to stand beside Villain, keeping a friendly distance from Villain. He looked up at the Academy, tapping out his ashes.

“I bet you miss it,” said Other Villain. “You could be in there with your precious Hero right now if you knew how to follow the rules.”

Villain’s hands balled into a fist at their side. “If your business here interrupts mine,” said Villain, finally looking at Other Villain and catching their grinning eyes. “I’ll show you why I’m no hero.”

“Easy, Vil. We’re on the same side. That’s fighting talk, we’re having a chat between friends.”

“You’re not my friend.”

Other Villain sighed. They dropped their hand, letting the cigarette fall to the wet ground and stubbed out the rest of it with their shoe. “No. You’re right. I’m not your friend… but I am Superhero’s.”

Before the words fully registered Other Villain was slamming into Villain, throwing them back against the brick wall of the alley. The wind was taken from Villain’s chest with an oof, but they dodged the punch Other Villain threw at their head and shoved him back away from them.

“I got a call tonight, Villain,” said Other Villain. “My friend asked me to come and make a scene, enough of a fuss for a certain little Hero to get involved and sometimes in these situations Hero’s die.”

Villain lunged for Other Villain. Other Villain grabbed Villain’s wrist and brought them close. He brought a sharp knee to Villain’s stomach and then another and Villain gasped. A punch came down on Villain’s cheekbone and Villain’s head whipped to the side. A leg swept Villain’s from under them and their back hit the damp tarmac. Other Villain kept Villain’s wrist in their iron grip and planted a heavy boot on Villain’s chest, leaning down over Villain so they could see the smile on Other Villain’s face.

“You being here is honestly a welcome treat, when Hero hears your screams they’ll be besides themselves with worry.”

“If you touch them—“

“Oh, don’t worry, Villain,” Other Villain said, cutting Villain off by leaning their weight down on Villain’s chest. Villain grunted with effort below him and tried to tug their wrist back but Other Villain wouldn’t let go. In fact, they grabbed Villain’s wrists with both hands.

The snap had Villain howling, which settled to a quiet pained him when Other Villain dropped to their knee down on Villain’s chest.

“Hush, Villain. It isn’t broken, just a minor sprain. And really, what’s a sprain between friends?”

“I’m going to kill you,” Villain hissed and cried out when Other Villain pressed down hard on Villain’s sprained wrist.

“You are terrifying, Villain. Truly a menace to society. Let’s see if I can make you scream loud enough for Hero to hear alright? Round two?”

*~*~*~*~*

Not so Fun fact: I sprained my knee. (As if that is even possible?!.)

I need help.

seriously!

It's been a while since I wrote Pidge... ah well. Hope it's not too bad x)

*

fevers and sprains

"Heya Pidge! You feeling any better?"

Pidge shuffles slowly across the kitchen, holding a blanket around her shoulders.

"No," she grumbles, unable to hide the nasal tone. With a last spurt of energy, she hops into the high chair next to Hunk, and lays her head on her arms.

"That cold really hit you like a truck, huh?"

Hunk places the cookie tray back on the counter and moves closer to her, adjusting the blanket around her and taking the opportunity to brush the back of his hand against her forehead.

"You're still feverish... are you sure you don't wanna go back to bed?"

"Hmm. No. I can't sleep."

"Come on," Hunk insists. "At least let's go to the sofa. I'll grab a tablet and keep you company."

She sighs. Having Hunk there is definitely better than being alone. And it's not that she isn't tired - she is - but fever dreams are a thing, and Pidge does not want to be alone right now.

"Okay. Okay, I'll go."

Untangling her feet from the bench legs, she steps down, leans forward -

"Pidge!"

And falls unceremoniously to the ground, hand first.

"Ow-"

"Good lord, are you okay? Did you hurt something??"

Hunk is kneeling in front of her with a face so worried she actually feels bad. She shakes her head, but when she moves her wrist, she can't avoid wincing.

"What's wrong? Let me see."

It's already swelling up, and right now, not moving it feels like the best course of action.

What a good day to just not get out of bed.

Gently, Hunk holds her small hand in his, observing, and tries rotating it a little.

"It doesn't look broken-"

"Ow! Hunk-"

She squeezes her eyes shut as she feels tears coming. As if this stupid cold wasn't enough, she had to fall and make a fool of herself getting hurt.

"I'm sorry! H-Hey, don't cry! I'm pretty sure it's just a sprain, we'll ice it and then I'll get a nice bandage for it, okay?"

Hunk wraps his arm around her on the floor, and lets her lay her hand in his shoulder, inning her back in soft circles, watching as she slowly holds her arm against her chest.

"Yeah. Alright."