~The Grubs, Pierces home~
After Mercy walked off, Pierce turned fully into his room. His hands flew around in a frenzy, directing his anger at the open ceiling. Fire burst through the wood, spitting the ends of the bark into complete smoke.
The roof was already falling from the sky; he only made it slightly larger with his bursting emotions. Flames escaped from his palms as he let out shallow breaths. Pierce turned his back to the hole in the roof. The reason for that hole plagued his mind with horrible thoughts. He had done the bidding of blasting it through.
~~~~
He was waiting for Rosamee in his room after getting into a fight with her. The fight was vicious; they fought over what the future had in store for them. She worked herself into a mess just thinking about it, and she fought back. Yelling, spitting, and hitting him in the face. Pierce tried to reason with her, but she didn't listen. Instead, she ran away.
The villain knew where she went—to her job at the elementary school down in Formay. Pierce wanted to run after her, to pull his love into some kind of agreement. He wanted to bring her with him, to run away from the grubs. From Whitedail.
But she fled.
Fear of what lay ahead scared her. Running away from her home with Pierce wasn't what she wanted. It was what Pierce wanted.
The two lovers wanted different things. Rosamee wanted to stay. Pierce wanted to leave. But if they did that, they would end up walking away from each other, and Pierce didn't want that. He would choose her wishes over his own. She meant more to him than his freedom.
He stayed in his room, darkness swallowing his stressed steps. He paced back and forth across the floor, his footprints wearing into the same spot on the carpet. His mind raced. He kept checking his phone for messages.
Nothing. Only a blank screen greeted him.
Pierce looked up at the roof. Stress pooled off him like a fountain. He told himself not to worry so much—they fought all the time, and she would message back soon. He just had to be patient.
He managed to calm himself, sitting on his bed with his head in his hands as he waited. It felt like hours, far longer than he expected, as he scrolled through his phone. He heard Mercy moving things around below him.
Ignoring her, he felt a buzz in his hands.
Swiping his phone open, he checked the message. Instead of a reply from Rosamee, a Whitedail news alert had popped up on his screen.
He was about to leave the page when a familiar word caught his eye. The news was about the elementary school where his girlfriend worked. She was there right now. Before Pierce could even stand up to put on his shoes, everything hit him at once.
Mercy's scream of shock rose from below, the words sinking in as he looked down.
"The Whitedail elementary school was set ablaze during school hours.
The hero came to help put it out, saving as many people as he could.
Unfortunately, 14 children were burned to death.
—And 3 staff members were found dead."
Pierce scanned the names. One hit him right in the chest.
It couldn't be. He had just seen her that morning—how could she have been killed like that? That quickly...
His body reacted on impulse. His arms flung toward the sky. A ball of fire formed around him, and the room burst into flame. The roof began to collapse, small ashes drifting below him. The wood burned, smoke pouring from the house and into the sky.
Pierce still felt an undying burst of energy throughout his body. His fingers itched with power. His body grew hot, fire spreading across his shoulders, yet he felt no pain. All he wanted was to make the world feel his emotions.
Let all the people who allowed this happen burn. Burn those innocents who stood by and watched his world burn. His world meant nothing anymore.
She was gone.
~~~~
The hole in the roof remained a horrible reminder that the love of his life was gone. She was no more than a pile of ash.
Pierce kept looking up, wondering what he was even searching for. Nothing but smoke and the dark sky greeted him. The stars stared back at his wet eyes, wearing a mocking look.
Maybe it was just his insane mind, but the dark sky, showering him with the cold of night, gave him a feeling of utter loneliness. Looking up always held a tight remembrance of the pain he would never get over.
Would there be someone to help heal him?
Something—
The villain jolted forward. A familiar cold mist hit him from the sky. This time, it felt different—not like the ordinary chill of night, but like something following someone. Pierce could sense everything about him from a mile away.
This time, he was closer than expected. The hero was nearby.
The cold mist suddenly flew away, vanishing into the deep abyss of the sky. Pierce jumped after it desperately, leaping from his bed onto the roof in his sleepwear and a burnt top, looking all around him.
The mist hit him once more.
The villain turned his head toward where he felt it. It came from near the highway, where the hero was making himself known. Only Pierce, it seemed, could feel the overwhelming cold mist in the atmosphere. He felt almost honored to be the only one who could sense it.
It was as if... Oxzy had made it only for him. As if the hero wanted him.
It was a crazy thought, but the villain was crazy.
~Hallway side, the streets~
The villain walked out of the end of the slums, turning the corner to where he felt the wave of mist. It stilled in the air, wrapping around his hot body like cool water. Steam came off him as he watched the hero come into his line of sight.
The hero had his hair in a tight, small ponytail. His curly black hair fell onto his pale face. Oxzy didn't even bother to move it away; his focus was in front of him.
His eyes were closed, lips pressed tightly together. He was in full concentration on something. Pierce took in the whole picture, watching Oxzy sit on the growing grass that lined the streets and the empty roads. He watched as Oxzy's hands twitched, his veins rising to the surface of his skin, glowing bright green.
His face began to sweat, his body looking ready to collapse. But to no surprise of the villain, Oxzy finished growing the grass as well as a few shrubs that lined it before taking a breath in.
The curly-haired male fell forward, catching himself before hitting the ground. He gasped for air to calm his racing heart, his body clearly sore from the energy he'd poured into the streets lining the slums.
The villain couldn't help but notice the beauty of it. The bright green almost hurt his eyes; the growing nature was nothing out of the ordinary, yet he could feel the full force of new life all around him.
Still, he watched as Oxzy shook his trembling legs to stand up.
The hero had used a lot of energy—it was the perfect time to attack him.
Oxzy wouldn't be able to protect himself; it was the perfect moment to claim victory and kill him. The villain did feel the urge to do so. But something stopped him.
Was it pity? The villain had never felt such a thing before.
Maybe it was just the sight of Oxzy in a weakened state. Pierce wanted to take it all in—it was better than any beer or weed he'd ever smoked or drunk. Oxzy's drenched face and hair, his shaking legs paired with a hint of lingering determination, turned Pierce on a bit too much.
Why would he want to ruin this view by attacking him?
"Son of a bitch..." Oxzy cursed, nearly falling back down. He caught himself with a step, leaning on his knee with his head in his hand. The hero looked more annoyed than hurt.
Pierce smirked, leaning on the fence beside him that separated the slums from the rest of the town. He watched silently as the hero mumbled curses to himself, holding in his laughter. He knew the hero let his true emotions and vulnerability show only when no one was around.
Hiding was something Oxzy did well, without anyone even noticing.
Pierce saw through it all, looking deeper than everyone else to find Oxzy's true thoughts—his real emotions.
It was part of why he liked talking to and teasing him. Mentioning his mother was something he never did, but that was Oxzy's weak point. Everything Oxzy ever held back would come pouring out at the mere word of his mother.
Pierce knew all this for different reasons. One, of course, was that he could see through the man. Two was that Pierce was exactly the same when it came to Rosamee. He didn't know if Oxzy knew that about him; if he did, the hero never used it against Pierce.
Unlike Mercy, who mentioned her just to piss Pierce off. She did that in their fights all the time—it was hurtful, but Pierce wasn't any better. Sometimes he deserved it.
Oxzy finally had enough energy to stand up fully. The villain scanned his body, watching him breathe in small breaths, one after another. All he did was watch.
The cold mist surrounding the hero had dulled just enough for the air to feel completely normal to Pierce. The hero was done, looking around to make sure he was alone before slipping away from the slums.
Pierce jolted up, watching him leave with an urge to stop him. Instead, the villain waited for the man to get farther away before letting a swarm of black dust cover him. He moved silently through the air before landing on the buildings above the hero.
Looking down at him, Pierce followed silently, wondering where the hero was going so late.
~Oakway, pet store~
The pet store? Pierce thought, watching the hero enter quietly at the designated spot. He'd followed him this long just to see him go to a pet store? He supposed Oxzy had pets—he could sometimes catch a feline scent on him when they fought up close.
Pierce sat down to rest his tired feet, watching the shop door like a hawk, waiting for the familiar black-haired man to exit.
Oxzy walked in, looking around for the cat food. The store was almost ready to close since it was nearly 10 p.m. He'd come in late after remembering that Cirilla was almost out of food. He figured he'd get some treats for her and Kamari too, since he'd already made the trip all the way to Oakway.
Picking up a bag of cat food, he headed to the rodent section for treats. He grabbed a few small things, like a new toy for Kamari since she'd torn apart her old ones, before heading to the counter.
A different woman was working the night shift this time. She was quiet, giving him a few glances as she rang up his items. He appreciated her for not asking questions, letting him leave with what he wanted without any fuss.
Cold air greeted him as he exited the store. Holding the bag of pet supplies, he made his way toward Parrway.
Keeping his guard up, he sensed nothing out of the ordinary. The sky was clear, and only the sound of cars reached his senses. He expected the walk home to stay uneventful, but he stopped short when a different sound caught his attention.
It sounded like the swing of air—someone striking someone else. The noise echoed softly, followed by an even quieter grunt in response.
The hero just wanted to get home with his things, but he couldn't ignore the alarming sound. Not much bad happened in Oakway; it was the safest place in town. Still, Oxzy turned toward the noise, checking around the corners of the alleys until it grew louder and louder.
Once close enough, he stopped to peer into the alley. The scene matched what he'd expected: a tall man beating another man who already lay unconscious on the ground. Several others surrounded them, snickering and hurling harsh words from their disgusting mouths.
Oxzy immediately recognized the men as being from the slums. They looked like gang members—big builds, tattoos, and the sharp smell of drugs clinging to them. He took a second to study the man on the ground. He looked elderly, with a small build, groceries scattered around his curled-up form.
After that brief pause, Oxzy knelt down, intending to set his bag of pet supplies aside, when a hand suddenly took it from him. Turning quickly, he found himself only inches from Pierce's face.
Oxzy was about to shout, but Pierce's other hand covered his mouth. In one swift, silent motion, Pierce pulled them both around the wall and pressed Oxzy against the bricks behind him. Hidden from the group of men, the hero and villain stood only inches apart.
Pierce took the bag from Oxzy's tightly clenched hand, his large palm still pressed firmly over his mouth, silencing the muffled curses. "Shhh, they'll hear you," the villain whispered, leaning his face closer to the hero's.
Oxzy turned his head, trying to pry the hand from his face, but Pierce held him firmly, squeezing lightly in silent warning. "Not moving until you calm down, Ox," he murmured, flashing an innocent smile.
Sweat beaded on the hero's face, his body tense as the villain towered over him, keeping him pinned. Oxzy knew that fighting back might expose them both—and the men assaulting the old man could turn on them too. Besides, clashing with the villain in such a public spot would hardly be ideal.
If he complied, maybe Pierce would want another kind of "talk" like before. If not, Oxzy had to stay alert no matter what.
Silently, Oxzy let his hand fall, glaring daggers at the villain, who only smiled wider. "Good boy," he cooed. Oxzy growled, his body still tense as Pierce finally removed his hand from his mouth.
"Pierce..." Oxzy warned, ready to shove him away.
The villain stayed close, shaking his head. "Not a good idea. You know that, Ox." To prove his point, he tilted his head toward the group, whose laughter had grown louder.
Oxzy glanced in their direction, stiffening at the sound of the old man's desperate pleas. He tried to move past Pierce, but the villain blocked him fully with his larger frame.
The hero found himself pressed between the wall and Pierce's body, heat radiating from him. Despite wearing only a tank top at 10 p.m., Pierce's skin felt warmer than Oxzy's, even layered in two sweaters.
Goosebumps rose along the hero's skin, a strange feeling twisting in his stomach. It felt unnatural—the villain was so close that his heaving breaths mixed with Oxzy's own ragged, quickened breathing.
"What the fuck do you think you're doing..." Oxzy whispered, looking up at Pierce. The villain gave an innocent smile, and the look in Oxzy's gray eyes spoke of something other than hostility to him.
Leaning closer to Oxzy's face, Pierce aimed his breath at his ear. "I just wanted to make this easier for you..."
The villain's hot breath made Oxzy jump slightly. His ears turned red immediately, and he ducked away as much as he could.
"What—?"
Pierce had the hero's bag before he could even realize it. Pierce backed up to give the man room to move. Oxzy turned to him, his eyes fixed on his bag in the man's hand. The hero met the man's eyes; Pierce only motioned to the group in reply.
"Go on. Stop them."
The hero didn't want to at that moment, but he shook his head before directing his anger at the men who were mercilessly beating an elder.
"HEY!" His shout caused the whole group to take a step back.
Before they could even run, Oxzy swung his hands forward. The ground beneath the group shook, a crack forming beneath them, and the men fell into it.
Shouts and screams came from them, but Oxzy ignored the sounds. Striking the ground where the crack had formed, he sent the earth beneath the group bolting upright in an instant. The men shouted once more, flung into the air before crashing back onto the ground.
They lay motionless on the cement, groaning as Oxzy walked forward. He glared at them, using ice to enclose the group so they couldn't run away. Oxzy doubted they could anyway—he'd probably broken a few of their ribs.
The hero knelt at the elder man's side, helping him up. The elder couldn't stand; tears rolled down his eyes as he thanked the hero over and over in a trembling voice. Oxzy nodded to him, then called the sheriff with slight hesitation.
It wasn't Milo who answered but Jamisen, which made things easier on the hero. The officer agreed to come after Oxzy gave him the location and details of what had happened. They promised to bring an ambulance as well as a team to deal with the group of men.
Before Oxzy turned back around, he made sure the elder was safely away from the men huddled inside the ice casing. The old man was bleeding everywhere, so the hero cleaned him up before feeling it was okay to leave. He turned to go when he stopped, sensing he was missing something.
"I should be getting back—the station's gonna come running after me if they notice I was here." Pierce's voice made the hero realize what he'd forgotten. Turning, he saw the villain standing in the same spot, watching everything that had happened.
The man walked forward, handing the hero's bag back to him. Oxzy looked down at it with a bit of suspicion.
"Do you think I shit in it or something?" the villain asked sarcastically.
Oxzy growled, snatching it away from him in a huff. Bag in hand, he began walking toward Parrway, ignoring the sound of footsteps following him.
Whenever he quickened his pace, the footsteps behind him did the same. He knew who it was but refused to give the man the satisfaction of knowing it bothered him. Eventually, it bothered him enough that he stopped in his tracks. They had reached Parrway when Oxzy turned to face the man.
~Parrway, near Cleoi~
"Why are you following me?" Oxzy asked. Pierce stopped, looking around as though searching for an invisible person speaking.
"Huh? This isn't the grubs."
"Ugh," Oxzy shook his head at the man. He didn't want to continue—the villain would find out where he lived. He stayed rooted in place, crossing his arms.
Pierce turned back to him, surprise crossing his face. "Oh, right—I wanted to talk with you more!"
"We didn't talk," Oxzy replied coldly.
"Right, what did we do then?" Pierce looked up, trying to remember, walking forward as he spoke. Oxzy stiffened, watching Pierce close the distance with long strides. "Since we didn't, we can now."
"It's eleven. Go home," Oxzy said shortly, shaking his head.
"God, I'm so lonely there! The grubs are just so boring—can't I spend the night with you?"
Oxzy's face twitched with irritation; he was utterly flabbergasted by the man in front of him. Surely this was a joke.
"What the hell do you expect me to say to that?"
"A yes?" Pierce closed his eyes, wearing a ridiculous expression.
"Then you're even more stupid than I gave you credit for." The hero took a step back as the villain closed in, now much closer than before. The auburn-haired man looked down at him, something like a silent plea flickering in his eyes.
As quickly as it appeared, it vanished. Pierce looked back at Oxzy mockingly. "You scared I'm gonna fuck you, right?"
"What—!" Oxzy's face turned red immediately, and he glared daggers at Pierce, his hand shooting up.
The earth beneath Pierce cracked slightly. The man took a step back, hands raised in mock defeat. "Alright, alright! I get it—I'm not allowed in the hero's house. No one's ever had that privilege; I'm no exception."
"Fuck off, Pierce." Oxzy kept his hand raised, warning the man away.
The man nodded, turning to leave as the hero stayed rooted in place. "Fine, fine." He walked off in the other direction, stopping a few steps later when he realized the hero still hadn't moved. He turned back to meet his eyes. "Stay safe."
With a smile, Pierce walked off without looking back. The hero watched his retreating form in shock, confusion swirling in his head at the villain's words. Surely he'd misheard—what had Pierce just told him?
Once the villain was completely out of view, Oxzy turned back around to head to his apartment. He still couldn't process what Pierce had said, or anything the man had done that day. What was up with him? What was wrong with him today?
~Cleoi, Oxzy's apartment~
It was so out of character that thoughts swarmed through Oxzy's mind without answers. He made it back to Cleoi quickly, turning the corner toward his apartment, head low. He knew his questions would remain unanswered—he and the villain only ever fought. Had he actually expected the madman to make sense? Had he expected an explanation?
He looked up toward his building, and his eyes landed on his window. His feet stopped.
Smoke poured from his apartment window. A few people swerved outside, staring up in confusion, while others ran toward the complex. Some were on the phone with the fire department, others with the police.
Oxzy's feet quickened, his eyes darting back and forth. As he drew closer, the words of the people on the phone made his face turn pale.
"Yes, the apartment was the only one on fire. We heard an explosion too..."
The words hit him all at once. His hands went numb, his head suddenly felt light, and he dashed past the crowd and up to the window.
Only his desperate thoughts remained.