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Wooyoung has a nightmare again. The nightmare where he's back in that house, barefoot as water sloshes about the tiled floors.

Wooyoung knows what's coming, what's waiting for him at that bathtub, but he doesn't think he can endure seeing her like that again. Ara.

He turns to run, but something sparks his attention from the grimy kitchen. He freezes still, heart in his throat at the man that stumbles out of the dark right then, his thin white shirt soaked in red. His father.

A motionless body lingers at the man's side, their dark hair spilling over the ground. Mom.

The man suddenly yanks out his gun and points it at Wooyoung, grip shaky and eyes alight with mania.

Woooyoung feels trapped -- like he's six again in that basement blocking his ears to try and rid himself of all those gunshots ringing through the air.

Wooyoung takes a step back but he can't get far when his feet are abruptly stapled into place. He can't move.

The man he called his father saunters closer. He's supposed to be dead, the gaping hole in his head dripping blood onto his clothes, but this is a nightmare after all. And in Wooyoung's nightmares, the monsters never die.

The man raises the gun, finger on the trigger, and Wooyoung tries to shield himself from the impending blow.

Heavy footsteps enter with a vengeance, a loud thump that shakes the earth following suit.

Wooyoung looks up and sees his father being knocked against the wall, a dark hand clamped around his neck. The man fights to release himself all to no avail. He gets slammed into the brick once more by the hooded figure in front of him, the surface cracking into bits at the sheer force.

Wooyoung can only watch on in horror as the man's skin starts to blister and melt, pieces of his face disintegrating as hot orange flames engulf him whole.

The man keeps burning even when the hooded silhouette steps away, skin blackening into soot and ash.

The figure then looks at him through his blazing eyes, lips pulled into a smirk that Wooyoung has formed several times in his life.

Wooyoung panics once he realizes, his heart in his throat. He's me.

It's raining cats and dogs outside when Wooyoung jolts himself awake, struggling for breath. His room is dark and cold, the curtains drawn, and Wooyoung knows he needs to get out of here for his sake.

He runs into the living room only to see Hongjoong on the sofa, mug in hand while clicking through a his tablet. A hologram of some sort of necklace floats above the device, changing directions each time Hongjoong touches the screen. It's what Park Seonghwa is supposedly creating, and although Hongjoong seems to like the man a lot, Wooyoung can't get himself fully onboard with that guy's plans.

"Morning, Woo," Hongjoong greets, uncrossing his legs. He's dressed in a sleeveless shirt and shorts to combat the summer heat, far more content than Wooyoung is.

"Morning."

"You okay?" Hongjoong questions after seeing the dejected look on the younger's face. "Bad dream?"

"It's something even worse," Wooyoung says, tone ever so snappy. "I saw those fucking arms of yours."

"Bitch," Hongjoong comments with a glare. Even with Wooyoung's unwarranted attack on his arms, he doesn't look that pissed. He looks at peace, even.

Wooyoung, both grumpy and creeped out from another night of terrifying dreams, just shrugs in nonchalance, the cupboards opening up for him on command.

A multitude of cereal boxes are displayed to him, each one a different colour and size. Yet Wooyoung isn't in the mood to eat any of them, turning up his nose. He grumbles out loud.

"You need to eat," Hongjoong says from the sofa. His eyes are still concentrated on his work tablet, the hologram reflecting on his round glasses. "You have to patrol the metropolis in like, two hours."

Wooyoung sighs, feeling his mood plummet even further. It's been over two weeks of not seeing San face to face, and while the man still texts him every now and then, it's nowhere near enough to satiate the ever growing yearning Wooyoung has for him.

"Don't talk to me about it," Wooyoung states, prickly and annoyed as he snatches a random box of cereal. The cartoon man on the surface is broad-shouldered, dark haired and has dimples, and Wooyoung thinks of San yet again.

"I have to," Hongjoong answers. "It's protocol."

Wooyoung spews cold milk into a bowl and throws some cereal inside, the breakfast looking nothing less than depressing due to the hero's carelessness. Wooyoung finds himself wishing he could go back to San's; maybe he could've even gotten the man to make him some solid breakfast to eat instead of whatever this is.

"Stop sighing," Hongjoong utters, voice nearly muffled out by all the beeps coming from his tablet.

"I can't help it!" Wooyoung yells, so loud he feels the earth shake. It doesn't actually; the only thing crumbling is his mental state. "I am so fucking fed up. I want a fucking break."

Now, it's Hongjoong's turn to sigh. And while Wooyoung knows he's fully aware of how drained he gets from time to time, half of him can't help but speculate that the older's exhale is one of deep disappointment. "Wooyoung -- "

"I know. I'm just doing some patrolling today," Wooyoung snaps. He slurps his cereal so quickly he accidentally bites the inside of his cheek, sharp pain shocking his entire mouth in the process. "Christ!"

Hongjoong bounds up to him in no time, snagging some tissue from the box on the island and handing it to the hero. "Jesus, Wooyoung. You have to be more careful."

Ashamed and embarrassed, Wooyoung dabs his already swollen cheek with a bit of the tissue. As expected, it's bleeding a little, filling his mouth with a nauseating metallic taste.

"This sucks," Wooyoung states. He doesn't even sound like himself with the small lisp he has going on.

Hongjoong sighs once more. He then snaps his fingers up in the air twice, a little square machine with glowing violet eyes and a tray attached to it waltzing into the living room a second later. On the metal tray is a first-aid kit, and Hongjoong promptly grabs one of the antiseptic gels.

"What would you do without me?" Hongjoong scolds, gesturing for the hero to come closer.

"Not bite my cheek because there won't be anyone to argue with."

Hongjoong rolls his eyes. "Brat."

His touch is full of gentleness and care, however, as he tends to Wooyoung's wounds, and it's at moments like these where Hongjoong feels a lot like the older brother Wooyoung never had.

Wooyoung heads to his room to shower a little after that, only to get stopped by the message notification coming from his phone.

San? Wooyoung races for the device in an instant, heart ricocheting wildly under his ribcage when a text from 'SAN🤍✨️' fills the screen.

In seconds Wooyoung's opening up the texts, forgetting all about his injured mouth.

- SAN🤍✨️
wooyoung hyung
its jongho! :D

- SAN🤍✨️
you havent come to see me in a long time, y'know
but i figured you're the credit card hyung after all so u must be very busy

- SAN🤍✨️
n e ways san hyung just left to get me some snacks but he let me use his phone
so i secretly took a pic of what he wore today ;))

- SAN🤍✨️
[image]

- SAN🤍✨️
thought u might like it since hyung doesnt usually wear something like this ;)))

- SAN🤍✨️
youre welcome ;))))

Wooyoung has no idea how Jongho managed to get such a candid, terribly attractive photo of San, but Wooyoung appreciates it greatly. He really fucking appreciates it.

It's insane how hot his entire face and neck feels at just seeing a photo of San -- and maybe it's the fact Wooyoung hasn't seen the man in quite some time -- but Wooyoung right then feels the San-shaped hole in his heart grow bigger. Fuck he really needs to see San.

- WOOYOUNG
this is so weird
but thank u jongho
and sorry for taking so long to come back

- SAN🤍✨️
good, because im gonna delete it soon before hyung comes back

- SAN🤍✨️
and its fine since youre probs busy.
i think hyung misses u more than i do though

Wooyoung's heart lurches so intensely he fears it'll pop out of his chest.

- WOOYOUNG
really?

- SAN🤍✨️
i know san hyung too well so i know when he really likes someone
and he definitely really likes you

Yes, Wooyoung and San have already kissed, but hearing confirmation about San's feelings from someone the man undoubtedly cherishes so much drowns the hero in a a whole other layer of emotion.

- SAN🤍✨️
omg i think sans coming
going on a deleting spree now
bye bye

Wooyoung wants to ask Jongho how long San's staying over at Promise shelter, but the teen has already commenced deleting their entire conversation on his side, judging by the numerous gaps his erased messages leave.

Wooyoung figures he could just ask San himself, but seeing that outfit on the taller has most certainly short-circuited his brain. He also wants to pay San a surprise visit without intruding his home like last time, wants to have the man hug him and look at him with those gorgeous eyes of his --

"One hour left before patrolling begins!" Hongjoong suddenly yells through the watch on his nightstand. "You better have already showered."

"Shut the fuck up, hyung," Wooyoung barks back, hating how the older just has to interrupt at the worst moments.

"Rude."

Wooyoung doesn't bother to reply, wiggling out of his pyjamas before long and entering the bathroom to take a particularly cold shower.

Wooyoung patrols the streets of Utopion for twenty-five minutes before spotting a robbery at Eternal Sunshine bank two blocks away.

"Just took notice of a bank robbery two blocks way," Wooyoung repeats just as his communication bracelet beeps with Hongjoong on the other line. "I'm heading closer to see who the perpertrators are."

"I can see a black van and two masked men," Hongjoong answers. "They're armed with guns, so be careful. I'll alert the police."

"I always am," is Wooyoung's response, leaping over a few buildings before long. The sun is as bright as diamonds, gleaming down on his already golden suit like a halo.

His presence catches the eye of several civilians, and no matter how many times Wooyoung has flown over these streets and interacted with these people, they still gape at him in wonder and immense awe.

If this this were any other day, it would have definitely boosted Wooyoung's ego. But after the many breakdowns he's experienced recently, all he can think is 'am I really that amazing?' as he swings into the street leading to the bank. He has to wonder if the Utopion citizens will look at him the same way if The Golden Clover turned out to be some anxious man that could barely get his shit together. He doesn't doubt some of them would even turn their backs on him at the discovery.

But San won't, is what Wooyoung convinces himself of right then. He won't turn his back on me.

He doesn't know your superhero identity, the voice in Wooyoung's head reveals right then, ever so pessimistic. If he does, you might end up losing him.

"Shut up!" Wooyoung growls, gracing a a robber with a spinning kick to rid himself of his anger. The ski-masked man immediately keels over, while another one points his shotgun right at him.

Wooyoung remembers the nightmare he had, his hesitation allowing the man to start shooting.

People shout and run in different directions, utter chaos ensuing.

Wooyoung lunges at the man and snatches the shotgun, the bullets spilling into the air. He breaks it and then slams the man unconscious, far too annoyed and vexed to care about sticking to his rule of not seriously harming the criminals.

Three other robbers are inside the bank, two holding the terrified bankers hostage while the last one stuffs cash into large bags. Assholes.

When the criminals see him they instantly start to shoot, something Wooyoung really doesn't want as he can't bear innocent people getting caught in the cross-fire.

"Stop shooting," he commands, smacking the shotguns out of their grip. One of them tries racing for them but Wooyoung slams him into the wall, promptly knocking him out.

The two others sprint at him, ready to fight, but Wooyoung easily dodges their hits, landing harsh blows wherever he sees fit.

It's almost too easy to subdue them that it causes Wooyoung to let down his guard. He sees the flash of metal at his peripheral before a knife nicks at his neck, quick and sharp.

Wooyoung doesn't feel a thing at first, but then he sees the first few drops of blood on the tiles and soon registers it's from him. The workers gasp in shock and fear, all while Wooyoung continues bleeding out.

Wooyoung stumbles, a little stunned, and the culprit rushes at him again with the knife.

A woman from the crowd tries to tackle the robber and stop him from injuring Wooyoung further, but then she yelps as the man mercilessly stabs her in the heart before throwing her limp body to the side like nothing.

Wooyoung is pulled out of his trance by the senseless murder he just witnessed (all because of him), a bottomless burning rage consuming him whole.

He marches towards the murderer with a cold sort of vengeance thrumming in his veins, before grabbing him by the throat and slamming him on the ground with a sickening blow.

The ground breaks while the man's bones crunch, blood sputtering out his lips as his eyes glaze over.

The last remaining robber tries to get away, but Wooyoung yanks him by the shirt and flings him at an ATM, seeing nothing but red.

He speeds towards the now injured man in no time, the terror in the criminal's eyes somehow satisfying him. Snatching the man by the head and preparing to snap -- to kill, Hongjoong's voice suddenly fills the atmosphere, cutting through his trance.

"The cops are arriving any minute," the man says, but Wooyoung isn't listening. All he can hear is the silence coming from the employees.

Heart in his throat, Wooyoung lets go of the criminal and doesn't want to be there anymore.

"Shit, are you bleeding?" Hongjoong questions after a beat, but Wooyoung doesn't answer. He races out of the bank, breathless and in pain.

He's horrified at what he just did -- what he was about to do. And everyone had seen it.

The lump in his throat grows far too large to swallow down, salty tears stinging the back of his eyes.

The cops have now infiltrated the bank, prepared to arrest the robbers that still have a pulse. Wooyoung can't look as he continues to run, his tears clogging his vision. He doesn't know how he'd live with himself after this.

He doesn't stop running -- even when he knows he's only getting weaker -- until a dark haired man crosses a busy street with his duffel bag in hand, his amber eyes a beacon of hope to Wooyoung's weary heart.

San.

Like San had read his mind, the man looks up, eyes widening instantly at seeing the dreadful state Wooyoung is in. The hero's well aware that San does not know his real identity and that he's in public with tons of stares now trained on him, but he just needs to be held right now.

"S-San..." he stammers, and the aforementioned male's already tugging Wooyoung close and wrapping him in a thick hoodie to keep him warm. The hero trembles in his hold, bordering on hyperventilating when San then presses something that shields and transports them away from the noisy street. Something that looks like a teleportation slide.

But Wooyoung doesn't question it further, gripping onto San for dear life.

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a/n: thoughts?