Work Text:
He was close.
So close that every step he took was a flutter in your chest, heart racing as the hunt was on. Every movement of his body sent a chill up your spine. What a wonderful advantage of your Quirk, this knowledge setting your nerves on fire as he neared.
This Hero had made it his personal mission to take you down. Of course, that would be no easy task. You wouldn’t allow it to be. You weren’t someone who wanted to be caught- by anyone other than him, however. Ever since this Pro had taken an interest in finding you and ‘bringing you to justice’ that had only motivated you to sharpen your skills and lead him on a wild goose chase to find you. Taking you down wouldn’t be done without a good fight or two.
Besides, you didn’t like to cause much trouble. After all, you like to think of yourself as a modern-day Robin Hood- there were much bigger villains out there that are much, much worse than you. The difference between you and other small fry is that you never bite off more than you can chew. Every move, every breath is calculated. You scope out areas long before you make a move there- you knew which patrols would be out when and which densely-packed centres to avoid. That’s why you weren’t very well known, only striking every month or so. You were barely a blip on most Pro’s radars.
This is also why you are incredibly difficult to track.
The first meeting you had with Eraserhead was a day you had slipped up, however.
Some backstory to your current situation:
While your appearance is all only speculation because of your clean getaways, gone into the wind before anyone capable can arrive, he was an unforeseen wild card. That day you had made a brief moment of eye contact on a convenience store rooftop. He was watching from above on a building across the street, gazing down at the quiet nightlife below. His attention wasn’t focused on you at first.
Your Quirk had given you a warning to someone close by before you saw him, however. He very nearly melted into the shadows of the night in his all-black attire. While you stood on that rooftop out of his view, you were able to take in his whole appearance while he was crouching perfectly still. His dark hair was blown back from his face in the stiff evening breeze, leaving the full view of his pale skin and angular face. He wore yellow, slitted goggles that covered his eyes, still focused on the scattered groups of citizens below. The grey scarf around his neck seemed to move on its own, hovering just inches off his shoulders in a coil.
You didn’t recognize him right away, but he was obviously some sort of Hero by his stance and his trained gaze on the city. This set off alarm bells in your head- obviously, this wasn’t a calculated outcome of this night, bumping into this stranger, and you had no idea of what he was capable of. And yet, you still found yourself in a trance; he was so pretty to look at.
You knew that you needed to go. You had a small sum of cash that was hidden on your person, and if you wanted to have another clean getaway you had to move. Now. You had what you were after and you don’t need anything else.
But, you wanted him now. Just to look at you, one time.
That’s how you slipped up.
Just because your Quirk allowed you to sense other people around you that didn’t mean that he knew you were there- but thankfully all humans come hardwired this uncanny, innate ability that gives them a kind of warning when someone is watching them. Hairs that prickle along the back of your neck when something doesn’t feel right. Everybody had it, yet some people are more perceptive than others. Pros have to be perceptive if they want to get paid, so you stood quietly and waited for him to turn, not moving a muscle.
Of course it didn’t take long- but still, you were getting increasingly infatuated with this beautiful hero.
When he did finally glance your way, just a slight movement with his head as he scanned, you got very lucky. You watched before he turned to face your direction as he pulled a small bottle from his pocket. It looked like eye drops, but your eyes were keen enough to read the label from this distance. The wind was blowing on his face but even as he turned his hair remained back. You held your breath as he reached a hand up to his face, shifting his goggles down as he turned to leave the busier street unattended for a moment.
He had such a dark presence for a hero. His eyes were such a beautiful, dark shade of brown that reflected nearly no light. The gaze was so fleeting but burned into your mind. Of course, he immediately saw you now. You were difficult to miss and very out of place on this rooftop. You were ready for his gaze; before you gave him a chance to process what he saw you were already gone into the night. You relied on your speed and stealth, much as he does you would learn, and you were already gone before he even stood up. He couldn’t even go after you since he didn’t see where you dashed off.
When you finally stopped a dozen blocks away in a much more populated area, those emotions finally caught up with you too. Sure, you had the cash you were planning this heist around but at what cost? This dark-haired Hero was in the back of your mind. The lights from the neon signs and restaurants reflected how you felt inside; in the pits of your stomach, you knew this was going to be fun.
From that first encounter to all these moons later, everything that had happened between them had lead to this moment. You were sitting with your legs dangling over the edge of the rooftop where you first met. You had learned so much about each other in the timespan of nearly a year; nothing personal, but the way the other moved in combat and confrontational you had gotten with him- the city- his city just below under your feet. You never said anything to him, but you’d been quiet the past couple weeks. You had hoped he’d find you soon and you knew you’d be right. You’ve been reflecting on your thoughts for this Hero and had made some serious life decisions.
But there would be time for sharing thoughts. He was closer now. You could feel it. A presence you had grown used to avoiding, but couldn’t ignore even if you tried. It was familiar and only 15 seconds away now…
10 seconds…
5…
“I figured you’d catch up eventually, Eraserhead.” Your legs were still dangling over the edge of the rooftop, nearly 25 feet from the ground. It’d be dangerous if you fell without bracing yourself, definitely enough of an impact to break a bone or two if you weren’t careful. If you slipped, however, you had a hunch the Hero wouldn’t let you fall. You didn’t acknowledge his presence other than that but you could feel him as he stood behind you, imposing and intimidating. Your eyes flicked across the heads and faces of the many people who walked, obliviously, below the two of you. It was bustling human life despite it nearly the early hours of the morning. Much busier than the night you met Eraser. Your gaze eventually wandered over to the spot where he sat that eventful evening where he watched this same street.
You didn’t hear his footsteps near but in an instant, he was at your side. You could see his form in your peripheral vision; he was tall and effortlessly cool as he stood next to you with his arms at his sides. As if to humour him, you lazily turned to gaze up at the Hero. There was no point in trying to hide your face anymore- he knew what you looked like and since he was here he was past the point of tattling. He too was focused on the people underneath their little meeting point; his eyes were always hidden by those worn, yellow goggles. His scarf and hair lay motionless in the stiff night air. He made no motion to restrain you despite this being the closest he’s come to reaching you.
Despite this quiet moment and soft thoughts, you were still a villain, no matter how noble you thought your actions were. Eraserhead once mentioned that all villains thought their actions were noble anyways.
His arms remained calm at his sides, covered by his usual black garb. “Why don’t you just give it up already, Ghost.” It was more of a statement than a question. It always sent a quick shiver down your spine when he addressed you by name.
You sat on his words for a moment before responding, glancing away from the Hero. There were so many things you wanted to say but there was no sense in rushing this. “Why do you ask questions you already know the answer to, Eraser.” You mimicked his dialect, not inflecting your voice to indicate a question. There was no point in giving him a straight answer when he already knew why they were here.
“I suppose I do- I just wanted to hear you say it,” said Eraserhead.
His next action surprised you- he sat down next to you. There was a sizeable gap on the ledge between you two, but he was close enough to send your Quirk into overdrive, a tingling sensation as it desperately tried to warn you that ‘ he’s sitting very close, very close! ’ He was always careful to keep his distance from you so this was very uncharacteristic. You kept your eyes fixed on the road still; he could probably see your trembling.
“If you want me to ‘give it up,’ why don’t you just end it here? You’ve been hunting me long enough for such petty thefts and I’m only an arm's length away now,” you said, trying to keep your voice from shaking by speaking as if it was a joke. You tilted your head back and forth as you questioned him and cracked your neck. But this wasn’t a joke- it was more of an inquisition. He was supposed to be a Hero after all. “Do you enjoy my company? Or is it something else?” Now, this was a taunt. If it ticked a nerve he didn’t show it.
“You talk a big game- you don’t have the experience to back it up.”
You scoffed. “I think you’re just an old man.”
The way you bantered made you sound like old friends rather than enemies. There were so many conflicting feelings that were racing through your mind right now. Up here you were in your own world where there was no heroes and villains. It was just the two of you able to interact without the fear of repercussion. Or so you hoped.
You didn’t want to talk like this anymore though. That isn’t why he came all this way. “I guess you could call this my going away party.”
“I wouldn’t call it that, Ghost.” His voice softened just a notch during this statement. That alone set you on edge.
“I already told you. I would retire when I was ready; I’m ready- I can disappear. Unless you’re looking to intervene.” You didn’t want to beg, but this was getting close. You wished he’d look at you when you spoke. You couldn’t keep your eyes off of him. His form was slouched and his face was hidden by dark hair, but he was still as beautiful as the day you first saw him. Now that you’ve explored more of his personality and traits this went beyond physical attraction. This is where it got dangerous.
It was torture not to know what was going on inside his head. You had so many fantasies and dreams about this Hero that you were glad he couldn’t see into yours however. Now that you were dedicated to retiring as a villain, something in your heart longed for something more- to bridge this gap between them. Their opposite lifestyles were something that separated them, but maybe there was still hope.
Right?
You leaned back on your elbows against the flat concrete of the roof. Eraserhead tensed noticeably. He too was conflicted. You had been so calculated and collected in your ways before he started chasing you. You never let him get too close before, but here he was now. You lowered yourself further so that your back was fully level with the cool cement. The sky above you was polluted with light from the city, but the stars were still visible — sentinels, quiet and always watching over the people below. You wondered if Eraser was a stargazer too; you knew deep down that he didn’t seem like the type. He was still quiet. You spoke again and interrupted the silence that had settled over them.
“Is this how our goodbye is going to play out, Eraser?” You sighed softly. “Speak now or forever hold your peace, I guess.” There was no point in starting fresh in this city. If anyone ever made the connection between your identity and the crimes you committed you’d be in trouble. There was only one thing keeping you here-
For the second time that night, the Pro did something else that surprised you. While he didn’t speak you heard him move his arm, followed by a soft thunk . He had removed his goggles from over his eyes and allowed them to fall onto his chest. Here he was, completely exposed. This was the first time you’d been so close to his face while it was bare and you wanted nothing more to reach out and memorize every angle to it. That would be a poor decision on your part, however- you used to pride yourself for always thinking ahead and calculating your moves. You’ve made enough poor decisions by letting yourself get attached to this Hero.
“What would you like me to say Ghost.” Another open-ended statement. He was a man full of mysterious and one-liners.
Before you could consider the consequences of your actions, you opened your mouth again- big mistake. You couldn’t help as the jumble of words fell from your tongue. “You were the one who gave me that name- it just stuck. I wasn’t going to call myself anything, but I guess it’s a good thing to differentiate between this identity and my true self.” The stars were brighter than usual tonight. Maybe that’s why you had so much false confidence.
You didn’t give him a moment to speak before you introduced yourself. First and last name. As soon as those private words were spoken, the atmosphere around you and the Pro changed. That’s the exact reason villains and heroes don’t go by their real names- to protect their identities. You’ve completely exposed yourself to him by giving away your name. He could go home and Google you if he wanted now. He could go to the police right now- they’d be able to find where you lived, your social media, and everything in between. You couldn’t help but vomit up those sentences. You didn’t want him to forget you. Again, your eyes were trained on the stars above.
Eraserhead let a sigh escape through his lips. This time he did turn his head to face you when he spoke. You could see this from your peripheral but you were too tense to move. “Why would you tell me your name?” This time he did pose a question to you.
So this was it. If that’s how he wanted to leave this so be it. You couldn’t force anything out of him. You were vulnerable around him for a moment, but of course, he wouldn’t reciprocate. Even though you’d run this scenario through your head hundreds of times in the past few days you had no way of how this would play out. You planned for this goodbye to be over with quickly, just like pulling off a bandaid. You had no way of knowing if he’d even show up tonight, but Eraserhead had always been good at finding you, even when you didn’t want to be caught. There’s nothing else to be done. Looking back, you had a good run; maybe you’d meet again in another life. One where you made better decisions and you could meet on different terms. Even though you knew you wanted to change your ways, in what world would a Hero want to fall for a villain? You hoped one day the circumstances would be different.
When you stood up you made sure you turned away quickly. Eraser was always quick to read your expressions. Leaving now was symbolic for you- after this night you knew you needed a serious life re-evaluation. Maybe your Quirk could be used for something good instead. You knew that you’d never come back to this rooftop, but that was okay. It hurt to know there’d never be anything between you two, but wasn’t there an old saying about that? If you loved something you should let it go?
You let quick huff escape your lips. “Why do you ask questions you already know the answer to, Eraser?”
“Where will you go?”
Your breath caught in your throat this time. Was that... concern you detected in his tone? When you glanced back his eyes were hard but his jaw was clenched. Those beautifully dark eyes that always looked so tired. This caused a painful jab in the heart.
“Now you know I can’t tell you that.” That wasn’t a lie.
“What, like telling me your first and last name wasn’t bad enough?”
In a different situation that would’ve made you laugh a little. Instead, you stared down at your hands- hands that had stolen many times. The ultimate prize remained out of your grasp, however. This was not how you wanted to go. This was supposed to be a clean break, but you were clinging onto every word he said like a lifeline. This was a different side to the Pro you’d gotten to know the past few months. You longed for different circumstances. You’d love to learn even more about this mysterious man.
“You can come with- it could be fun.” You said, again with the 'almost jokes.'
A dry laugh echoed in the air in response. Eraserhead’s laugh was always condescending in a way, but this was more of a shock response. “You’re a bad liar.”
Ouch.
So much for short and sweet- enough was enough. “I’m sure you’ll find me soon enough. You were always good at that. But that’s only because I wanted to see you. I’m sure you knew that though.” Was this it?
With a more confident inhale you began to walk away, leaving the dark-haired Hero behind you. You two could’ve been such a good match had things been different. The air had significantly cooled off and every step echoed in the open space of the rooftop. If only you hadn’t been so infatuated when you first saw him, then you wouldn’t be in this mess.
Although you’ve experienced just how fast a Pro can be when they want to, his speed took you off guard tonight. His earlier movements had been so slow and tentative that when the man suddenly appeared inches from your face you stepped back in surprise. Just when you were ready to leave he got close again. He was the one making this break difficult now- this shouldn’t be this hard, it’s not like they were connected in any way besides in recent history. Your Quirk sent a shudder through your body as you were eye to eye with him. Too close, too close- you weren’t supposed to get close. You stepped back slightly to get some space.
Those narrowed eyes were only focused on you now. Fuck the people down below- you wanted those eyes to stay on you. Those dark, endless eyes to the point where his pupil could barely be differentiated from his iris. So captivating. You wondered if he noticed the colour of your eyes as well. You wanted him to notice- just like how you wanted him to notice your existence on this very rooftop what seems like forever ago. You wanted him always to be looking at you... you wanted to be his. Eraserhead didn’t speak but continued to search your face for indicators of your true thoughts. He was ever so slowly inching closer, forcing you to either awkwardly bump noses or step back. It was like a dance under the stars.
Your voice was barely able to be heard- a ghost of a sentence, much like the persona you’ve hidden behind in your time together. “Can we just start over?” Your words were barely audible- good thing he was so close.
“What do you mean by that?” His words weren’t guarded as they usually were. He was practically daring you to convince him. The Hero’s form towered over you. This was you were able to take in every detail of his body, every muscle movement in his legs and face as he stared you down. You felt like you couldn’t tear your gaze away. He was probably in great shape from chasing you and other villains over the city, always hidden by that black pullover.
You nearly yelped as your back bumped into something cold- they had tangoed over to the other side of the roof where there was some sort of shelter- probably the stairs to go back into the building. Either way, there was nowhere to run now. This wasn’t only a physical restraint but a mental one as well- he knew you wouldn’t flee now. He knew this would be a terrible cliffhanger.
You swallowed the saliva that had nervously accumulated in your mouth, leaving it dry. “As just us… ordinary people… no more heroes and villains… just as whoever you are outside of the scarf and goggles, Eraser.”
Don’t unusual events typically happen in threes? This was when the Hero took you by surprise again.
You weren’t expecting his lips to be so soft. Every part of his exterior was rough and jagged as if to keep people out but his touch was so tender and tentative. When he leaned forward you were more expecting a headbutt from him than a kiss. The world around you had frozen- there was no more noise from the street below them and your own heart was silent. It was like time had made an exception for them, giving her one chance at this. Of course, you kissed him back. It took you off guard at first but once you snapped back into reality you were pressing your mouth back on his. It was almost like walking on eggshells- one wrong move and this dream would shatter.
“Bold,” you said after he slowly pulled away. Your back was still pressed against the concrete shelter. You stifled the smile that wanted to creep onto your face, watching as his mouth was drawn in a firm line. By now he had his right hand above your head and a knee pressed between your legs to keep you in place.
“And here I thought you had more sense than this, (y/n),” came his huffed reply. Your body froze after hearing him whisper your name- your real name- like this.
Whoa.
What?
He had just chastised you for giving away such a personal piece of information.
Why is he using it then?
That star-given confidence was back. After that initial shock and your brain rebooting you let that shy smile tentatively cross your lips. “Now that’s hardly fair,” you whispered back, gingerly bringing your hand up to his face. You watched as the Hero stiffened as your fingertips ghosted over his cheek. It felt so wrong to touch him in such a delicate way after your hands had been used to harm him in the past. The first of many little touches you hoped you grace him with. He didn’t flinch even as your thumb rubbed the stubble that dusted the lower half of his face, scratching the soft pads of your fingers that cupped his jaw. This still felt like a dream. Everything you’d hoped for was staring back at you. “I don’t know what to call you.”
The hand that wasn’t keeping your captive had wandered behind your back, pulling their bodies closer together than ever before. Your body was burning where the contact was, a stark contrast between the cold it was previously pressed against; you could feel his heartbeat. For now your Quirk was silent; you already knew he was too close. He had leaned his face in again so that his facial hair and hot breath tickled your ear.
“I guess you can call me yours then.”