Pairings: Adrian Chase x "Hero"!Reader
Fandom: DCECU

Word Count: ~ 1,800
Warnings: Canon-typical whatevers
SUMMARY: You find out the butterflies raided your place and Vigilante offers to let you stay with him.

A/N Didn't expect this fic to be so long but there's a 3rd part already in the making as well :)

You woke up in the office on that terrible futon chair. "Goddamn," Your head was spinning and there was an IV in your left arm. "Who the hell put a-"

"Economos did, you alright?" Adebayo stood in the doorway, "You've been out for like an entire day."

"Shit," You murmur and swing your legs over the side of the couch, "I'm okay." Adebayo pauses and nods as you test your movements. The swirling feeling in your head settled, it didn't hurt as much. "Hm, still feel where that dickwad stabbed me."

Adebayo laughed, "That's good actually. John had to wrestle Vigilante to let him take care of your IV."

"Vig doesn't even know anything about IVs what-"

She shrugged, "I don't know that man is-" She lifted her hands in exasperation as you chuckled with a nod.

"Yea he's something isn't he." You said with a smile, "He called a group of butterflies fucking- groin-sandwiches." Her face crinkled together in confusion, "I thought the same."

Vigilante really was an interesting guy. He seemed heartless at first glance but he could be really sweet when he wanted to. Adrian consistently would say he didn't feel anything but you didn't find that part weird-you related if anything. Like sure, you felt things but more often than not you didn't.

That understanding has led to being called a sociopath on many accounts. Adrian deals with the same thing himself from the team. You're surprised they haven't said anything, because their faces sure paint a vivid picture.

Mostly Chris' because you can read him like a picture book. His face doesn't change much but when it does you pick it up with ease. He hates it. (he told you himself) "Stop telling me how I'm feeling and shit-it's creepy. Maybe figure out what you're not feeling before you try to teach me about my feelings."

It stung a little bit but he was right. You were constantly helping others understand how they felt that you always ignored how you were feeling. At this point, you were shit at gauging how you felt. It was hellish.

"Who's all here?"

"Uh, me, Harcourt, and John." She thought for a moment, "I think Chris just got here."

You nodded, "Ok, I wanna go home." When you tried to stand up, Adebayo blocked your way out the door. "What?"

"About that."

-

Apparently your house was ransacked by those creepy ass butterflies. It pissed you off more than being stabbed by one. At least that was repairable. Adebayo offered to let you stay in her hotel room but you couldn't intrude, plus you didn't like sharing such small spaces.

"Fucking hell why didn't they trash anyone else's place?" They all shrugged, "They literally know Peacemaker's real identity. Mine is unknown that's fucked."

"Maybe they know who you are?" Harcourt suggested.

Economos spoke, "How would they know that? I've never even seen their face?"

You pointed at him in agreement, "Exactly, nobody but maybe Murn has seen my face. And as far as we know these bastards aren't like-hive minds."

"Murn was a butterfly?" Chris blurted.

"Yea, he was." You said, "Don't get all pissy," He glared at you. "Ouch you're angry anyway-why'd they target me of all people?"

A knock on the door disrupted any possible answers, "Hurry up!" Vigilante stood outside, hands on his hips all impatient-like. "Come on," He was on the verge of whining and it made you laugh from your seated position.

John begrudgingly opened the door for Vigilante who entered with excitement.

"Heard your house was trashed by those alien fuckers and I had a wonderful consideration!"

"I don't think consideration is the right word-"

He ignored John's suggestion, "Y/N, how about you room with me at El Casa De Vigilante?" The horrible Spanish accent added to the horror of it all.

"I'm good, thanks."

You could see his face fall beneath the mask, "Oh come on! It'll be like a slumber party, Chris you can come too!" Peacemaker didn't even reply, he just stared blankly at his old partner in crime. "You guys suck!" Now he sounded like a whiny kid.

It took all of your limited strength to not laugh at Vig, he sounded genuinely sad that you and Chris declined his offer.

"You two can bum it up together for all I care," Vigilante turned his back and crossed his arms dramatically.

"Actually, Y/N's the only one "bumming" it up," Chris corrected and you gave him a stern glare. "Can't you stay at one of theirs?" He gestures toward Harcourt and Adebayo.

Harcourt immediately declined with a shake of her head and Adebayo explained the situation.

That frustrated your friend, "You see! You've got nowhere else to go!" He was smiling again under his mask.

You however were stoic beneath yours. "One condition," Before he could speak you lifted a finger, "Masks on 24/7."

"That's perfect, in fact I was going to suggest the same thing!"

"You're lying,"

"How would you even know that huh!?" He put his hands on his hips and leaned toward you.

You rolled your eyes, "Because you lie like 100% of the time, Vig."

"I do not-"

John groaned loudly, "Please stop it and just go." You lifted your hand still attached to the IV. "I'm surprised you didn't rip it out like a heathen," He mumbled as he helped you remove it. "Go to a hospital next time you get stabbed ok?"

"I don't plan on getting stabbed for a while, Economos."

Vigilante clapped his hands, "We're having a slumber party, oh yea, oh yea!" He danced to no music and was ignored by everyone. You fought the urge to call him a nerd as you gathered your things with the help of John.

"Thanks man," You smiled even though he couldn't see it, "really." John nodded curtly with an awkward smile before walking away.

It wasn't all too easy to walk but you masked the pain by leaning over a bit. You followed Vigilante out of the office.

"Why the fuck are you walking like an obtuse angle dude?"

You straightened up with a groan, "Ah shit. Where's your car?" He stands proudly in front of a... sebring that looks older than him. "That's... certainly a car." You stepped toward the passenger side.

Vig steps in front of you, "Don't hate the ride or else you won't have a ride."

"You'd make me walk to your house?"

"God no! That's like, a mile from here."

That made no sense, "Okay, I'm sorry for saying you have a shitty car without using those words. If it drives it drives."

"Thank you," He opened the door for you, "M'Lady."

"Not a lady," You sat down and buckled the seat belt. The seats were a god awful velvet and you could tell this car had seen some horrible shit.

"If you're not a lady then what are you?" You knew how painfully ignorant he and the entire town were but god it physically hurt hearing that stupid ass question out loud. Or maybe it was your stab wound that hurt... either way, what a dumb fucking question.

You shrugged, "None of the above?"

"Sarcasm alert; that's not confusing at all."

Another shrug, "I am what I am, what's confusing about that?" You wondered.

Vigilante thinks about his answer for a minute, "Okay. Not a lady, got it. Also not a man?" You nodded, "Okay... so like, what do I call you?"

"Uh, how do you mean?"

"Like, if you were a lady, I'd call you a lady and a woman. But you're not-so I won't, so what do I use?"

Huh, that's a great question. "Person? I don't really mind being called dude, that's fine. Man is too but I'm not a man, you feel me?"

He tilts his head, "I think so? It's confusing as shit but you're too cool for me to be a dick to."

"Uh thanks?"

-

Vigilante forced you to sit in his stuffy ass car for a good 20 minutes while he "sorted" his house out even though he said he did on the way there. It didn't really matter, you needed some time on your own to think through what you were about to do. Did you trust him enough to sleep in the same building?

That question should have been an easy "no" but it wasn't. It was a bit more grey. You didn't like that.

Adrian opened your door for you and led you inside quietly, it was late at night and you were thankful for that. It would be kind of suspicious seeing two so-called criminals spending time together.

"Welcome to el cas-"

"Please don't do the accent again," Your arm already ached from carrying the bag of things they managed to salvage from the mess.

He nodded once, "Got it, welcome. This is the living room where the magic happens (I play DnD religiously). The kitchen is right through there and down the hall is my bedroom and the bathroom."

You paused, "There's only one bedroom?"

"Yea, you can take it for now. The couch folds out."

"How's this supposed to be a slumber party if we're in separate rooms?" It's not that you wanted to sleep in the same room as Adrian, it's just you remembered him being very particular about it being a sleepover.

You could see how he lit up under his suit, "Are you serious right now? If you are, you'll become like, my bestest friend. Better than Chris!"

A laugh escapes you, "I don't really care, I slept for a day. I'm not that tired."

"Fuck yea!" He shoots a hand into the air, "I'm gonna change out of this BRB," Adrian practically runs down the hall as you deflate onto the couch.

There's a folded blanket and pillow placed on the end of it, you smile softly at the fact that he offered you his bed. He really could be a sweetheart sometimes. You pulled your boots off and sighed in relief before (practically) ripping your socks off. After that you ducked into the bathroom to change into something more comfortable.

You had plenty of masks to switch into and luckily there were more than a few shoved into the duffel bag. The most lightweight one looked similar to Vigilante's. That thought made you roll your eyes as you locked the door and went about a short ritual. You washed your face with the bar soap and relieved yourself.

After drying your skin, you slipped the mask on. It felt weird wearing what could be considered pajamas and your mask but it was out of the question to reveal your identity. You may have figured out Adrian's but he definitely didn't know who you were.