Two weeks before Felix turned twenty and finally earned his official Hero license was when his entire world completely tilted on its axis.

He'd been out on patrol when explosions echoed down the street. Not wasting any time, he'd started evacuating all of the civilians nearby, urging them to seek shelter as far away from the source of the explosions as they could get – ever since hearing about Jeongin's sister, he'd made a point of always putting the civilians first before running ahead to handle the situation.

Once certain he'd done what he could, he jumped a few times to leap over the surrounding buildings and get to the source of explosions faster. The moment he landed on a rooftop, he found none other than Chan – now an official Hero already gaining popularity under the name of Ultra – currently battling it out with three different Villains. Hyunjin – also an official Hero now working under the name of Ghost – was busy fighting two others, further down the street. Felix had forgotten this was the area the pair had been assigned to, but he was relieved – with them around, he knew the Villains didn't stand a chance, no matter their numbers.

However, as he tried to figure the best way to interfere without getting in the Heroes' way, he slowly noticed the sheer amount of destruction. Cars had been overturned, the street and buildings around were cracked, windows had completely shattered, lampposts had been sent flying... 

And then, seemingly annoyed by the three Villains he was facing, Chan used a wave of ultrasounds to blast them off their feet – only to miss and hit the nearest building. The wall instantly exploded upon impact, and distant screams from inside echoed. Felix's heart dropped and, without thinking, he leapt over the street to catch a woman who'd started falling from the fifth floor.

He managed to land safely on the ground and carefully put her down, urging her into the nearest alley so she wouldn't get caught in the crossfire and, after ensuring no other civilians were in danger, Felix ran up to Chan.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" he exclaimed angrily.

"Felix, not the time. We've already called for back-up, these Villains are trouble, so buckle up and help us out—"

"You could have killed someone!" snapped the freckled boy. "You can't just aim around carelessly, you're gonna risk injuring civilians—"

"Then they should just get out of the fucking way, and if you're not going to help us, so should you!" snapped back Chan, angrily pushing him away.

Felix could only gawked as the man who used to be one of his closest friends walked away, cracking his neck as he readied himself to start fighting again. The three Villains were a bit stunned, but still on their feet, though Hyunjin had managed to knock out one of his opponents, now. Before Felix could make heads and tail of what had just happened, the fight moved into the next street, and more screams followed. Cursing under his breath, he quickly got to work – no one was going to get hurt under his watch, not if he had a say in the matter.

But as it turned out, protecting civilians while an all-out war was happening wasn't exactly easy. Felix had to be constantly aware of his surroundings, now knowing neither side of the fight would care about him or the civilians stuck in the crossfire. Back-up had yet to show up, explosions were still happening all around, and Felix was growing exhausted.

He'd just managed to get a little girl and her dad to safety when he heard it – the warning shout Hyunjin let out, not too far from him. Spinning around, his eyes widened as he saw the literal car now flying his way. He tried to jump out of the way, but he was too tired and both of his legs cramped up, and he couldn't do anything as the car crashed into him.

Pain flared, well, everywhere, and he almost instantly blacked out.

.

Felix woke up to a rather irritating beeping noise. He felt incredibly heavy, groggy, numb – the last thing he wanted was to wake up, but the light blaring behind his eyes was enough of a sign that he'd been out of it for long enough.

The first thing he saw when his eyes fluttered open was Jeongin, asleep in an uncomfortable-looking chair right next to the bed, his head lolling backward and his mouth open wide enough to let flies go in. Felix couldn't help but smile a bit at the sight, before realizing something.

This isn't my room...

It was too white, too neat. Glancing to his right, he found the source of the beeping noise – a heart monitor, which was linked... to him. He was confused, his head all fogged up as he tried to remember how he'd ended up in what appeared to be a hospital bed—

"Lix! You're awake!"

"Sungie...?"

Jisung looked like he'd cried a lot, his eyes red and puffy as he ran up to the bed to hug him, completely ignoring the warnings the doctor behind him gave him. Once he finally released Felix, he cradled the boy's face.

"Lix, how do you feel?"

"I- I don't know. Heavy? It's- it's hard to describe... How- how did I end up here...?"

"You don't remember?" Jisung's dramatic entrance had obviously woken Jeongin up, and the boy was now looking at him with wide, glossy eyes. "Lix, you don't remember?"

"N- no...?"

The pair instantly turned to look at the doctor, and the woman sighed pushing up her glasses as she lifted the clipboard to which was attached Felix's file.

"Retrograde amnesia is only to be expected, considering the serious blow Mr. Lee has suffered from. It'll surely come back to him in time, and explaining everything will surely trigger his memory. It's—"

Felix suddenly cut her off with a strangled noise. The attention instantly snapped back to him, and Jeongin and Jisung's hearts sank as they saw the sheer distress written all over his face as he squeezed his legs under the covers.

"I can't feel them," he whispered, his voice breaking as tears filled his eyes. "I can't- I can't feel them. Sungie, I can't- I can't feel my legs, what's happening? Why can't I- why can't I feel my legs!?"

"Lix, Lix, it's okay, everything's going to be okay—"

"I can't feel them! Sungie, Innie, I can't feel them!!! What's happening to me!?"

As Felix cried and begged for an explanation that wouldn't confirm his worst fear, Jisung and Jeongin simply sat on the bed and wrapped their arms around him in an attempt to ground him, painfully aware that their sunshine had just woken up to the first of many stormy days to come.

.

When the car hit him full-force, Felix's lower back hit the elevated ledge of the sidewalk before being crushed underneath the weight of the car and the momentum of the impact. His spine was crushed to bits, and all neural pathways were damaged beyond repair, resulting in a complete SCI. In simple terms, Felix had lost all sensation and motor control over his lower body – he was completely paralyzed from a little over the waist and all the way down, effectively becoming paraplegic with no hope of recovery whatsoever.

Felix would never walk again, meaning he would never be able to use his powers, nor would he be able to become a Hero. His lifelong ambition had been completely obliterated mere weeks before it could finally come to completion, and the most damning of all was how it wasn't even a Villain's fault – it was Chan's.

Chan was the one who'd sent the car flying, once again careless in his attempts to take down the Villains. All of the damage inflicted to the city had been passed off as caused by the Villains, even though none of them possessed abilities capable of such massive destruction – though the general public wouldn't know that, since almost all footage of the incident had been mysteriously lost, and what little remained only showed Chan and Hyunjin succeeding in detaining the Villains at last.

And Felix... well, Felix was taking the fall for the three civilians who ended up losing their lives despite his best efforts to save everyone.

"You can't be serious," he choked out, feeling like he was made of glass and could break down at any given moment.

"Felix, please, you have to understand," pleaded Hyunjin, sparing a nervous glance for the closed door of the room, behind which some official government agents were waiting to come in and take away what little Felix had left. "Chan's popularity is on the rise, we can't afford bad publicity right now."

"Who cares about publicity!? I didn't do anything wrong!!!"

"It's already been processed, Lix. The civilians need someone to blame for the lives lost and it can't fall back on Chan or me, we've become too influential for that. And it can't be put on the Villains either, else it'll be summarized as Chan's failure to stop them in time—"

"I did my best to help," hissed Felix, the tears falling once more – he felt like he'd been doing nothing but cry for the past week. "I saved people out there, many of them! That has to count for something!"

Hyunjin sighed, rubbing his temples tiredly. "Look, all you're doing is being relieved of active duty on account of failing to uphold your oath. There's no media involved, no interview needed, no fine to pay—"

Felix let out a disbelieving laugh. "No fine to pay!? I lost my ability to walk, my power, the dream I've trained to achieve for years, and now you're telling me 'cheer up, you won't have to pay cash for being the victim'? Is that it!?"

"Look, it's not like they're putting you on trial for murder or anything!"

"No, they're just completely ruining my reputation – staining my name and dragging it in the mud as a scapegoat for the mess you and Chan made," choked out the freckled boy.

"Who cares about your reputation? It's not like you can still be a Hero, so stop making such a big deal out of it already," finally snapped back Hyunjin.

"And who's fault is that?" Felix gritted his teeth, throwing the cover off his legs and slapping them harshly, yet not feeling a thing. "This is Chan's fault. He was careless, he got civilians hurt, and he could have killed me! The least you could do is own up to your fucking mistake and deal with the consequences properly!!!"

At that, some pain did paint itself over Hyunjin's face, and regret flashed through his eyes. Unfortunately, all of it was quickly gone as the man rose to his feet, seemingly done with the conversation.

"You're the one who couldn't move away in time. If you'd just been stronger, those people wouldn't have died, and you wouldn't have gotten injured. This is your fault, so stop making a scene and deal with it. What's done is done."

"I hate you," choked out Felix, lowering his eyes. He never thought he'd ever have the strength to genuinely hate someone, but Chan and Hyunjin now proved him wrong. "I fucking hate you, Hyunjin. I thought- I thought we were friends, but you're nothing more than a coward! You're a fucking coward, Hwang Hyunjin! I WISH YOU'D JUST DIE!!!"

Hyunjin actually took a step back at that, obviously shaken by Felix's outburst. In all of the years they'd known each other, Felix had never raised his voice at him, or anyone for that matter. Hyunjin had never seen him so genuinely upset before, and seeing all of that anger lighting up Felix's eyes and burning into him...

He couldn't stand it.

"... goodbye, Felix."

Felix didn't answer, simply glaring as his tears kept on falling and, feeling more than a little sick, Hyunjin was quick to leave the room, the agents waiting outside almost instantly going in to get Felix to sign the papers that would officially cut off any and all connection to the government's Hero branch.

Outside of the hospital, Chan was waiting for him. His boyfriend hadn't even dared step foot inside, unable to face Felix. He said he couldn't bear to see him knowing he was the one who put him into that hospital, but both of them knew very well that he simply couldn't stand the thought of looking into Felix's eyes and admitting to him the decision they'd been forced to make, like Hyunjin had done.

It really wasn't that complicated. The Hero agency they were working for had given them a choice: either Chan owned up to his mistake, got blasted by the general public, lost his Hero license, and ended up forced back into the civilian life (after being put on trial to keep up appearances)... or they had Felix take the fall instead.

It really isn't that complicated, Chan tried to reason many times through the guilt that threatened to suffocate him at any given moment. Felix can't walk anymore. He can't be a Hero anymore. And if I lose my license, then the city will have lost not one, but two Heroes. It's a rational decision.

Powers. Variants. Heroes and Villains.

Maybe the lines were starting to blur a little but, in the end, as per human nature dictated, everyone had to make a choice, and Chan and Hyunjin had made theirs.

.

Felix left the hospital in a wheelchair about two months after waking up. He'd long since regained almost full memory of the entire incident, his less important injuries had healed, and his legs were as unresponsive as the first day. The doctors had tried different treatments and methods to try and spark a reaction, hoping to find a remaining neural connection but, eventually, they had to come to an understanding: Felix was well and truly paraplegic.

Felix had just lost everything. He lost his legs, he lost his power, he lost his future, he lost his job, he lost his dream, he lost his childhood friends, he lost his home. And, when he eventually contacted his parents to share the desolating news, all he'd been met with was disappointment because of the bad reputation he'd now earned with the general public because of his "failure", so his family was pretty much gone too.

Felix had truly lost everything.

"Huh. I didn't expect such a nice place. I thought they'd be a lot cheaper with accommodations."

Well, almost everything.

"Are you sure we're in the right place?" asked Jeongin, dubious.

"I mean, the key worked, didn't it? So we obviously are," huffed Jisung.

He carefully pushed Felix's wheelchair inside and, though tired, the freckled boy tried his best to connect with their new surroundings. Since he was no longer allowed to affiliate with the facility where he'd basically grown up, but also considering the circumstances behind his termination, he'd been given a place to stay.

He, too, had expected a cheap apartment but, instead, they ended up in a literal penthouse smack in the middle of the city. It was spacious, with big windows all around brightening the living space and, most importantly, the floor was flat all over – meaning Felix could move his wheelchair around without issue.

He'd been assured that his new home and any related expenses would be paid in full, along with his medical bills, and he'd also been signed up for a pretty good life insurance, somehow. He'd also receive a monthly allowance that would be enough to cover minor expanses such as food, clothes, hygiene items and anything else he might need in order to live comfortably, but that would only last for the next five years – because at that point, he'd be expected to either have found a new job, or someone else to provide for him if he couldn't do it himself.

"I call dibs on the room in the back!"

"Why don't you let Lix choose first? It's his place, after all." Jisung came to crouch before him, holding Felix's hand with a small smile. "How do you like the place, Lix?"

"... it's nice," he admitted, his voice feeling a little rough – he had another crying fit about an hour ago, and his throat was sore. "But as long as Innie and you are with me, I really don't care about the rest."

"Hmm, I figured you'd say something like that. Now, fancy going to claim the room Jeongin wants just to annoy him?"

Felix let out a small, breathless laugh, and Jisung took that as a win – not much could make Felix laugh nowadays and, though it certainly didn't hold a candle to the warm, full-hearted laughing fits Jisung had long since fallen in love with, it was a start.

Felix was the strongest person Jisung knew. He'd learn to deal with his new life over time, and he and Jeongin fully intended to be with him for every step of the way.

.

It wasn't easy.

Jeongin and Jisung did their absolute best to help out Felix in any way they could without outright coddling him, aware of how much the freckled boy's helplessness was getting to him. Felix couldn't walk, couldn't cook or bake, couldn't take a shower by himself... It was a lot of trial and error to understand what worked and what didn't, and how to handle everyday occurrences without too much issue.

For someone who's entire life revolved almost solely on his legs and the power that came with them, adapting was a difficult process. Jisung and Jeongin often found Felix right next to one of the large windows, gazing outside with so much longing and despair it broke their hearts every time.

Felix didn't deserve this.

In an attempt to make life easier for him, the boys couldn't help but overcompensate a little – and there was no denying that they'd grown a bit overprotective after the accident, so they were always hovering or keeping an eye on him despite their best efforts to not crowd the boy too much with their care and worry.

And, after about two weeks of the same routine, Felix finally snapped.

"Stop walking on fucking eggshells around me!" he exclaimed, gripping tightly a pillow he'd grabbed from the couch. "I'm not made of glass! I'm not going to break at the slightest jostle!"

"We just want to help—"

"I don't need your help! You're suffocating me! I'm still alive yet you're always acting as if I'm as good as dead!!!"

"That's not fair," protested softly Jisung, lowering his eyes. "You don't- you don't know how scared we were, Lix. Do you even realize how terrified I was when I heard you were in critical condition in the hospital? Or how many nights Innie cried while you were stuck in a coma?"

Felix's angry expression crumbled a bit at that. "I- I'm sorry. You're right. That wasn't fair. I just... I'm just so tired, Sungie, Innie. I just wish- I just wish things could go back to normal, you know...?" He rubbed his eyes, fighting back his tears – he'd cried enough already. "I went from helping people to being the one needing help and I just... I just don't know what to do with myself anymore..."

Jeongin reached out, patting his head. "We're not in a rush, Lix. You're starting an entirely new chapter of your life, it's normal to be at a bit of a loss right now. Just don't... don't push us away. Please. We might not show it, but... we need this too."

At that, the last of Felix's anger completely vanished as he carefully took in his friends' tired, somewhat sorrowful expressions – and that's when he finally realized just how selfish he'd been so far. Jisung and Jeongin had made the decision to move in with him and do everything in their power to help him settle down with his new life, and here he was, telling them he didn't need them even though they all knew that was a lie.

"I'm sorry," he repeated, much more softly. "It's just... so hard. Sometimes I wake up thinking it was just a dream, you know? But then I try to get out of bed and suddenly everything comes crashing down and I feel- I feel so broken...!"

Jisung gently cradled his face so their eyes could meet. "You are not broken, Lee Felix. You are still the most amazing, beautiful, lovable person I've ever had the chance to meet and with or without your legs, you will always be the wonderful boy Innie and I have fallen in love with many years ago."

Felix's breath hitched in his throat, his eyes going wide. "Ji- Jisung...?"

Without warning, Jeongin whacked Jisung's arm. "Yah! We said we'd wait until he was doing better before saying anything!"

"Well, I changed my mind. What're you gonna do about it, huh?" huffed Jisung.

"You—"

"Guys, what- what are you saying?" asked Felix, dumbstruck.

Jeongin's expression softened a bit, and he grabbed Felix's hand as he sat down on the couch next to him. "We like you, Lix – a lot."

"Love might be a more appropriate term at that point," corrected Jisung, sitting on his other side and leaning his head on the freckled boy's shoulder. "But you don't have to say anything, Lix. We know you've never thought about this kind of stuff before, and that's okay. I just really needed you to know that no matter what, Innie and I love you deeply, and a wheelchair won't ever change that, alright?"

Felix slowly nodded in understanding, gulping a bit. "... Innie?"

The younger huffed, not daring to meet his eyes. "What he said."

Jisung laughed, kicking his leg a bit. "Tsundere."

"Am not!"

As the two started bickering, Felix let their latest revelation sink in. It was true, he'd never thought of finding love before. He'd always been too caught up in his ambitions and, even when Chan and Hyunjin had come out about being a couple, he hadn't thought much of it – it was basically the same thing as friends, just with kissing and stuff, right? But as Jeongin and Jisung's playful bickering slowly lulled him to sleep, Felix distinctly noticed how fast his heart had started beating ever since Jisung confessed, and also the warmth creeping up the back of his neck.

.

As it turned out, Jeongin hadn't lied: they needed to take care of Felix just as much as Felix needed to be cared for. Jisung had developed some severe separation anxiety issues, and Jeongin's survivor's guilt syndrome had reared its ugly head once more, often making them spiral whenever Felix wasn't around to calm them down.

Their little group's dynamics completely shifted after that particular night. Felix was not only much more open to being on the receiving end of their care, but the two boys were also a lot more forward with their affection, so to speak. They'd never really held back on physical affection such as cuddling – mostly Jisung and Felix – but, with the boys' feelings out in the open, they were now much more direct about it.

Jisung was always all-too-happy to hug or cuddle Felix, and the freckled boy soaked in every second of warmth and affection like a sponge, feeling reenergized every time they eventually parted. Jeongin had taken to helping him build up his arm muscles, but he also enjoyed carrying Felix around rather than pushing his wheelchair – a lot.

The two teamed up in the kitchen, and Felix helped. Jeongin helped him sit at the counter, and they let him pick the recipes and do whatever could be done without moving around too much, such as cutting the vegetables or prepping the meat. They'd also started relying on him a bit more for menial tasks and chores, knowing Felix needed to feel useful, so the freckled boy was usually in charge of folding clothes, drying the dishes, or even sweeping the furniture.

And, slowly but surely, Felix started getting better.

He laughed much more often, and he smiled much more easily. He sought them out instead of sulking in his room, and he didn't stay next to a window for hours like he used to do. He'd also started looking up different hobbies online to try and keep himself occupied when the others weren't home – Jeongin had school and still helped out his brother at the café, and Jisung was either out shopping for what they needed or following online classes (he was too anxious to leave Felix alone at the penthouse).

Things were going well – almost too well, in fact.

It was no wonder the peace they'd finally managed to establish finally went up in smoke.

"They're doing it again!!!"

Felix and Jisung startled as the door slammed open, Jeongin stomping inside the apartment with utter rage burning in his eyes. He walked past the couch on which they were cuddling to turn on the TV and, almost instantly, the voice of a news reporter echoed in room.

"—and the Villain mercilessly killed the hostage before Hero Taurus could stop her in time. An investigation is already ongoing, but camera footage was lost in the crossfire and all circumstances seem to point that this unfortunate incident was simply unavoidable. Taurus's Hero Agency insists that there was nothing the Hero could have done to prevent the victim's death, and the public's opinion seems favorable."

On the screen, the recording shifted to show some civilians interviewed on the streets.

"They can't save everyone. Just because they're Heroes doesn't mean they're infallible, you know?"

"It's not his fault. It's the Villain who killed that poor guy, not Taurus."

"The Hero was just doing his job. He's probably beating himself up enough as is, he doesn't need us to critique when we weren't even there to see it happen."

Jeongin lowered the volume of the TV, the civilians' voices fading in the background as he lowered his head, taking a few, deep breaths. After a few seconds, he finally looked at the other two, and Felix's heart clenched at the sheer pain written all over his face.

"They're doing it again," he whispered. "I- I saw it. I was- I was on my way back and I heard a scream and- and the windows were blown up but I still looked inside the store and- and- and—"

"Innie, breathe," instructed softly Jisung, pulling him so he'd sit between him and Felix. "Take a moment, don't rush."

Jeongin breathed in and out a few times before eventually finding the strength to relate the last of his story.

"He's the one who stabbed her," he choked out. "I saw him- I saw him fighting the Villain and there was a man on- on the floor and b- blood everywhere but the Villain- the Villain's power was thermoregulation, she could- she could use fire, but there was- there was a hole in the man's chest – fire- fire doesn't do that kind of damage!!!"

Felix's blood ran cold, and he felt like throwing up. Taurus was a fairly well-known Hero around, amiable and well-liked by pretty much everyone – and his power was similar to Jisung's, in the sense that it directly affected his physical form and appearance: he had long and pointy bull horns protruding from his forehead, and he was incredibly strong.

"There was- there was blood on one of his- his horns...!" Jeongin was crying, shaking as they held him. "He's- he's the one who killed that man, I know- I know he is...! But they're- they're doing it again! They're covering it up, putting- putting the blame on the Villain because they know- they know everyone will just gobble it all up...!"

"It's going to be okay, Innie—"

"It's not fair!" Jeongin cut Felix off, and the freckled boy exchanged a worried look with Jisung – it'd been a while since they last saw the younger so distraught. "What happened to that guy, what happened to Felix, what happened to my sister! They're just doing it over and over again, and no one- no one knows and it's not fair!!!"

Felix and Jisung couldn't say anything, because they knew Jeongin was right. So, they kept their mouths shut and simply held him tighter, rocking him a bit and rubbing his back in an attempt to comfort him. The fact that he'd had to once again witness death from up-close was truly desolating, and they simply wished they could take that burden away.

But they couldn't, and so they simply decided to try their best to shoulder it with him.

.

"This can't go on."

"What are you trying to say?"

"My sister, Felix, this bystander the other day... How many more innocent people have been hurt by Heroes or because of Heroes' complacency? People we know nothing about because their stories have been swept under the rug just like the others'?" Jeongin was pacing back and forth, obviously worked up. "People are being hurt because they support an organization whom they believe will keep them safe, but the truth is that Heroes and the Agencies behind them and the governmental program that allows them to exist in the first place only want one thing: profit."

"Not all Heroes are like that," softly cut Felix, lowering his eyes. "Some... some of them truly believe in what they do."

Jeongin's expression softened at that. "I- I know. But ignorant Heroes aren't any better than those in the know."

"Look, that's cute and all, but what are you really saying?" asked Jisung, frowning. "What's your big idea?"

Jeongin paused, then faced them fully. "I want to expose the truth."

"You want to play vigilante?"

"No, that'd be too dangerous. What I want is to find out the truth and expose the Heroes, the Agencies, and the Hero Program to the public eye. I want the Heroes who fuck up to be held accountable for their wrongdoings and their mistakes, and I want people like my sister and Felix and that bystander to have the justice they're due."

"And how do you even suggest we do that?" replied Jisung, skeptical. "That's not the kind of info we can just find out with some Google searches. Any proof will have been destroyed or carefully filed away under layers and layers of official paperwork that can only be accessed through a high-profile status – and need I remind you that you are an unregistered Variant, I'm unemployed and handicapped by my power, and Lixie can't legally go anywhere within range of any Hero-related place?"

"I wouldn't... need to go anywhere, though." Jisung and Jeongin turned to Felix, who was biting his lower lip as he thought things over. "I'm good with computers. If we can just set up an opening that'll grant me access into the city's camera network, it'd allow us to keep an eye on any and all attack and actually keep untainted records of them. We might- we might not be able to do much about what happened before, but for anything that'll happen in the future..."

"You're insane," deadpanned Jisung, unimpressed. "You've both completely lost your minds. Do you even realize how dangerous this would be? If we get caught, Felix will lose the apartment, the pension, the medical care – everything he needs to get his life back on track! And Jeongin, need I remind you that not registering your power is illegal? If you get found out, you're going to end up in District 9!"

Jeongin flinched a bit at that. District 9 was the name of the high-profile prison where Variant prisoners were kept under heavy watch, with high-level tech and expensive equipment to keep them contained and under control. Being unregistered was illegal, but people usually only had a fine to pay for it – but committing vigilantism acts would definitely have him labeled as a Villain and, if they'd managed to really piss off the higher-ups, then a one-way trip to District 9 was definitely in the picture.

And yet, somehow, the thought didn't scare Jeongin as much as it used to.

"I can't stand by and do nothing," he simply replied, his voice breaking on the end. "I can't just pretend I don't know anything and go on with my life. How would that make me any better than the Villains or Heroes out there, then?"

"... I still want to help people," admitted Felix, clenching his fists. "I hate how I ended up. I hate how messed up this is. But if I still have even the slightest opportunity to make a difference for at least one person... then I want to take it." Heaving out a deep breath, he then looked at Jisung. "But I won't do it without you. It's the three of us or nothing."

Jeongin nodded firmly in agreement at that before also reporting his attention to Jisung. The older cursed under his breath as he realized they were actually serious about this, and they wouldn't stop pestering him until he agreed to join them on their crazy quest for justice.

(And, well, he could lie to himself all he wanted, but there was no denying he wanted to hit the corrupted bastards right where it hurt. If he couldn't get justice for Felix, then he'd at least avenge him.)

However, there was still a bit of an issue.

"Look, even if most of them are corrupted bastards only seeking fame and some easy money, the fact is that today's society needs Heroes – there are too many people with powers who actively seek to harm others, and Heroes are the only people capable of even standing a chance against them," pointed out Jisung, clicking his tongue in mild annoyance. "I'm not a fan of that dependency, mind you, but you can't just suggest creating a void without having anything to fill it afterward, you know?"

"If we're actually going to go through with this, then we can't just post random stuff online and expect people to act on it," nodded Felix, tapping his chin. "Just like civilians will rally behind Heroes, we'll need a goal that will unify the masses, else our intentions will only be brushed off as some troublemakers' ploy."

"Fake Heroes." Jeongin straightened up, the fire that had been simmering inside of his heart for years now finally rearing to life. "Our goal will be to expose Fake Heroes, and to encourage the general public to seek the truth by themselves. If we give them the proof and tools they need to bring down those who aren't fit to uphold the ideal of Heroes, then surely they won't be able to ignore it."

"We'll need to be organized," added Felix, growing a little more excited by the second. "We can't be careless about this. If we're caught, then we're definitely going to be passed off as the Villains, and that'll just bring down everything. We'll need to set up shop in another location so as to avoid suspicion, and we'll need solid alibis, and- and—"

"Okay, okay, slow your roll, Captain Justice," snorted Jisung, flicking his nose and effectively cutting him off. "Before we figure out any of that, we need to solidify the image we want to project."

"What do you mean?" blinked Felix, confused.

"A name," understood Jeongin, perking up. "We're going to need a name."

"Exactly. We need something simple, but that'll catch the eye, and it should also portray our group's intentions—"

"I know!" Felix flushed a bit when the others looked at him, but his grin only seemed to widen. "I- I think I have an idea!"

.

Coming up with a viable plan wasn't exactly easy. They needed different means of gathering information, but also different means of spreading it without getting caught – and, as such, they decided to act on three different fronts.

Jeongin would go get registered as a Variant and would then engage himself to become a Hero. He'd lay low for a while, display good enough control, and he could easily earn his Hero license in a matter of months. He'd then apply for what they suspected to be one of the most problematic Hero Agencies, JYP, where he'd finally have access to old mission files, but also field information.

The time it took him to earn his license would be enough for Jisung to get a job at the biggest communication and technology company in the country – BigHit had their fingers dipping into every single honeypot on the market, from phone networks to surveillance cameras and everything in between and, most importantly, they were the only technological supplier for all Hero Agencies in the country.

In other words, having access to their main computers meant having access to a goldmine of information taken almost directly from the source, be it different Agencies' phone records, e-mails, camera footage, and even monetary information – because there was no doubt in their minds that a lot of money had to get passed around in order to keep every single incident under wraps, and they fully intended on exposing those illegal activities.

Finally, Felix was in charge of creating a special blog on which they'd only be able to log onto using a special flash drive. With some homemade firewalls and a lot of time, Felix could also make it virtually untraceable – meaning they'd be able to log into the blog and upload all of their information for the world to see from any computer, without risking getting tracked down and found out too easily.

However, this meant they couldn't risk logging in from any of their home computers – in other words, the moment Felix was done creating the entire thing, he would become pretty much useless, and that definitely didn't sit well with him. Other than preparing statements and "articles" that would be posted on their blog, he truly wouldn't be able to do much, and the weight of his powerlessness was starting to crush him again.

But, for once, life seemed to be willing to give instead of take.

"Care to repeat that?"

"I have two boyfriends, and one of them might be able to help Felix walk again."

Neither Felix nor Jisung had had many interactions with Lee Minho, Jeongin's older, half-brother. He was nice enough, but usually busy with his shop, and they never really spoke beyond some usual formalities and some passing pleasantries. So, for the dark-haired man to show up uninvited at their home one fateful morning was quite a surprise, but it certainly didn't shock the trio as much as his news did.

"Look, I know you three are planning something," sighed Minho, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Innie, just because you moved out doesn't mean I haven't been keeping tabs on you, and while I don't know what exactly you're planning, I do know my brother enough to know when you've finally had enough. You decided to do something about it, haven't you? About our corrupted, Hero-dependent society."

Felix, Jisung, and Jeongin exchanged unsure glances, unwilling to share more than they had to – the last thing they wanted was to drag innocents into a fight they weren't even certain to win. But Minho didn't appear offended – in fact, he nodded approvingly.

"Can't incriminate yourselves if you don't say anything. Good. I'm not going to ask more, other than you be careful with this. With that being said, however, I haven't come here to give you a lecture. Like I said—"

"You have two boyfriends!? Why have I never heard of them!?" huffed Jeongin.

"And one of them can help Felix walk again?" repeated Jisung, squeezing Felix's shoulder in a show of support. "How?"

Minho clicked his tongue. "I never told you because it wasn't relevant. Also, they're not exactly... in the clean, so to speak. They're both Vigilantes. But do you care more about my love life or about the potential life-changing solution I'm offering?"

Jeongin half-glared at the older at that, but nodded stiffly. "Fine. But don't you dare think this conversation is over."

"Whatever you say, kid. In any case, neither of them are Variants, but they are civilians who were hurt a great deal by this constant push-and-pull between Heroes and Villains – cue them deciding to do what they could to help in their own way. I won't go into the details, but one of them is a genius with building gadgets, and the other is a prodigy in the medical field – I've had them both take a look at Felix's medical file back when the accident happened, but they've only just come up with a potentially viable solution."

Felix gulped, his eyes widening some more. "Since... way back then...? But- but why? We barely even knew each other, and yet..."

At that, Minho offered him a small smile. "Your heart's in the right place, Felix, and my baby brother likes you. You're already family, and that means we all look out for each other." His gaze moved briefly to Jisung. "That counts for you, too."

Jisung startled a bit, not expecting to be included, but it definitely made him feel a little warm inside. After a few seconds of silence, Minho pulled out a small card with a phone number written on it.

"That's how you can contact them. But be warned, Felix: I can't guarantee their plan will work, so don't get your hopes up."

Felix nodded at that. "I- I understand. Thank you."

Minho simply nodded back before finally taking his leave and, the moment he was gone, Felix looked down at the card he was holding with all sorts of emotions clashing in his chest and constricting it – fear, anticipation, awe, hope.

Frankly, he was ready and willing to give anything a shot, so long as it gave him a chance of walking down the path of retribution with Jisung and Jeongin.

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What is it with me and taking away Felix's limbs...? No clue!

Hope you enjoyed it!