Chapter Text
Life in the city was scary enough. Ever since Tommy could remember the fear of heroes and villains had been a constant in his mind. Their bloody fights could start anywhere; it was simply a part of life like the world turning or the leaves falling. Whole buildings had been demolished in their wakes, and depending on which villains were there, there were often plenty of casualties. Whenever Tommy was able to sneak through the book store to see the TV plastered above the register the screen usually depicted fires and rubble and injuries unimaginable.
However, Tommy had really hoped he’d never have to experience it himself.
Screams tore through his ears as people easily twenty times his size rushed past. The store’s workers had long since run to safety so Tommy could stand on the counter to see through to the rest of the mall. There was no fire or rubble or death yet, but he could only assume it was to come. He just hoped whichever hero showed up was nice enough to make sure the building didn’t collapse on him.
As the last of the customers rushed through the store, the alarms blazing above them, Tommy turned his attention to how he would get out. Usually, he would use the book carts the workers bring to the front at the end of the night; however, in their hurry (not that he could blame them) the carts were somewhere else in the winding rows of books. He could try to climb down the nearby cabinets by balancing on their handles, but the last time he'd tried to do that he almost gave himself a concussion. And when you're only a few inches tall getting a doctor to help wasn't really an option.
Tommy huffed as he looked over the side of the desk. The fall was pretty far and while the floor was carpeted he was sure he'd at least break a few bones if he tried to jump. Yet, the blaring of the sirens lighting up the store made his heart race with fear.
Quickly he opened his fabric pack and dug through the jumbled contents. There were a few pieces of bread and chips, a coin he'd found on the floor, and a long piece of thread from a first aid kit he'd found. With a proud hum, he tore out the thing twine and wrapped it around his forearm until his skin turned blue. As uncomfortable as it was he needed it to stay on, so he wrapped it around a few more times before tying it off.
"Fuck," he hissed, the thread pulling and twisting against his skin.
His hair stuck to his face as he tied the other side of the thread onto the handle of the closest cabinet. The drawers formed a ladder all the way down to the ground, and he would have to use them...he just had to make sure he didn't tumble on the way. Once the thread was thoroughly wrapped around the metal handle he tugged it to make sure it wouldn't fall loose.
With a deep shaky breath, he stepped down onto the first bar. It was a bit of a stretch since it was a few inches down from his place on the table, but luckily he was able to reach it.
"Not that bad," Tommy mumbled to himself as he readied himself to take the next step.
He leaned forward off the metal bar to look down at the one below it. It was a bit farther since the drawer wasn't completely closed, but he was still pretty sure he could make it.
His shoes squeaked as he pushed himself forward, but as soon as he hopped down a loud crash rang through the front of the store. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the glass windows shatter as a dark figure raced through. He yelped in shock, but the distraction was enough to send him off course. His foot just barely missed the bar and his back slammed against it with an awful crack. The thread around his arm was the only thing keeping him from slamming on the floor and when it finally drew taught he felt like his arm was about to be ripped off.
"Ah! Fuck!" he yelled as he desperately tried to release his arm. He clawed at the thread with his other hand but it just put more pressure on his arm.
Tears budded up in the corners of his eyes as the pain made his head feel hazy. He wanted to scream until someone came to save him, but he was smart enough to know that normal people were freaked out by him. The first time he'd been caught by a human in one of the other mall's stores he'd almost been killed with their broom.
He hissed in pain as he reached up to grab onto the thread, still dangling from the cabinet's highest drawer. It relieved some of the pressure, but he worried if he couldn't get out soon his arm would be as good as dead. However, he didn't have much time to figure anything out before another large crash echoed through the store.
His eyes darted to the middle of the room where bookshelves were usually lined up in neat rows. There, struggling next to a broken bookshelf, were two men. The shorter one he immediately recognized: he'd seen him on TV enough times to know the signature green cloak and half mask adorned by the greatest hero in the city. However, the other man, the one Dream was currently trying to stay on top of, he hadn't seen before.
He tried to turn his body to see the fight better but was immediately met by the worst scream he'd ever heard. Dream straddled the taller man and pressed his hands down against his throat. Tommy couldn't see very well but it already seemed like there was blood dripping down the man's neck. His scream was guttural and wet as Dream pressed down harder.
"You really thought you'd get away huh?" Dream asked as he leaned closer to the struggling man's face. The other struggled against the hero's grip and groaned, but he barely budged under Dream's hands.
"What little birdy doesn't wanna talk anymore? You had so much to say the last time," Dream scowled in a way that made Tommy's heart stop. He knew Dream was good, and he was likely watching history, but usually he didn't seem so terrifying on the news.
"Fuck...off," the other man coughed as blood rolled down his cheek.
Dream leaned forward again, pressing down harder, and this time Tommy had to look away. Even though he knew Dream was good, the sight of the villain's blood made him feel sick.
It was only when another loud voice boomed through the store that he looked up again, making his arm cry out in pain. The thread twisted against his skin like a vice and he had to resist shouting. The last thing he wanted was to draw anyone's attention.
"Dream. Get off him," the new man, a villain he did recognize, growled, "Let's have a fair fight, huh?"
The Blade . Tommy stared in awe at the cloaked man with his boar-tusk mask protruding from his face. He'd seen plenty of news stories about the Blade- enough to know he absolutely did not want to be in the same place as him...especially if Dream was there too.
"Not a very fair fight if I let you have your little siren huh?" Dream grinned wildly back at the villain, "Just let me get rid of him real quick, and then we can spar."
The Blade growled and stepped forward, his whole body radiating power in a way that made Tommy's body tense up like he was the one about to be crushed under his sword.
"Let him go," the Blade said as he drew his sword from his side. The edge of the blade was already covered in a slick sheen of blood that made Tommy feel ill.
Dream laughed, the bottom visible half of his face twisting up into a sly smile, "Or what?"
The Blade didn't even give him a chance before he rushed forward slamming into the hero with a loud thud. In seconds the two were struggling, both trying to get on top of the other. The Blade swung his sword and just barely missed Dream's face before he was shoved to the ground. The Blade jumped to his feet and was immediately met by Dream's dagger. The hero sliced at the villain's chest, but he barely was able to cut through the cloak before the Blade slammed into him with his shoulder.
The whole time Tommy stared wide-eyed at the fight. His arm throbbed and his head felt dizzy from hanging, but he couldn't turn his attention away from the two as they danced back and forth. It would almost be elegant if they weren't both trying to kill each other.
He was so distracted he didn't even notice that the previously downed villain had started to move until he was only a few steps away from Tommy. Immediately he held his breath, trying to make as little noise as possible even though he was so clearly in the open. The man looked awful the closer he got, his face was bloodied and black like he'd been hit by something and his dark-blue mask was off-kilter and covered with blood. Meanwhile, patches of blue bruises sprouted up around his neck from where Dream had held him down. Tommy hoped he'd never have to experience it, but he assumed being choked by someone with super strength hurt pretty bad.
Nervously, he watched as the villain scootched closer to the desk until he was able to lean against it. Tommy felt frozen; all the villain would have to do was turn his head a bit, and Tommy would be caught...and if regular people didn't like him, he assumed it would be even worse with a villain.
"Niki," the villain spoke into his wrist, "Need help..."
Tommy assumed it must have been some sort of communication device but he didn't see anything. It was almost like it was part of the dark cloak the villain had draped over his body. Within seconds, a high chirpy voice called back through the villain's cloak asking where he was. The man coughed out blood and gave the mystery woman the name of the shop.
"Be careful," he said slowly, "Dream's here."
As curious as he was, Tommy's attention was drawn back to the fight in front of them. A loud crash came from the bookshelves as the Blade pushed Dream into them. The wooden posts cracked and splintered under his weight, but Dream didn't even seem affected. Both had a few scratches from where the other got lucky, but neither seemed tired.
"Lay back...I'll...soon," the voice from the villain's cloak crackled.
The villain nodded in exhaustion, but before Tommy could turn his attention back to the main fight the cabinets shook pulling the thread impossibly tight around his arm. He shrieked as the pain became overwhelming and he was sure his arm would tear off. His thoughts glazed over so much he didn't even realize his mistake until his vision cleared.
The villain who had previously been leaning against the cabinets was staring right at him.
Tommy could see the sparkle of curiosity in his eyes even through his mask. He struggled harder, trying to get free, but every movement just pulled the thread tighter until he couldn't move anymore.
"What the fuck..." the villain grumbled before rubbing his eyes with his gloved fist, "You're...small."
If Tommy wasn't in so much shock he would have laughed at the villain's words. The situation seemed so ridiculous to him. A supervillain saying something so stupid while he looked to be on the brink of death. However, before Tommy could do anything a hand was reaching towards him.
"Hey wait no!" Tommy squealed as a finger poked his chest.
He partly expected the villain to crush him, but he just seemed confused, not violent.
"You're stuck," the man said, "I- give me a second."
The hand pulled away and Tommy slammed his eyes shut so he wouldn't have to see what the villain was planning. Even injured he had no idea what he could do. Especially if he knew the Blade...he had to be dangerous. After a few seconds of only hearing the grunting of Dream and the Blade, Tommy felt something tug on the thread. His arm twisted making him yelp again, but he immediately swallowed his tears. Desperately he tried to remember the news story from a couple weeks ago about what to do in case you encountered a villain.
- Run if you can
- Give them what they want
He tried, but he couldn't remember any of the other steps. Although, he guessed it didn't really matter. It wasn't like he was in a position to get away, so instead, he just waited as the thread was moved around in the villain's hands.
His eyes squeezed even tighter as the thread was tugged again, but this time instead of wrapping tighter around his arm, the pressure disappeared. His eyes flew open in surprise as he fell, but before he could get far, he landed on something warm.
It felt so good to have his arm free, he didn't even realize where he was until the warmth underneath him moved. His eyes shot up, and sure enough, the villain was staring back at him. He scrambled back but was stopped by the man's fingers.
The villain coughed, more blood dribbling down his chin, "Wait I...I can-"
The villain made an awful choking sound, and while goosebumps crawled up Tommy's arms he couldn't help but feel bad. But before the villain could stumble through his words a scream echoed across the store. The villain's head shot up as the Blade ran back towards him, his sword coated in new blood.
"Siren, we have to go," the Blade said, "Can you walk?"
The villain, Siren, let out a shaky breath and nodded quickly to the other man. The fingers wrapped around Tommy again, and for a few terrible seconds, he thought Siren was going to take him before he was placed back onto the desk where he had started. The villain nodded at him in what Tommy assumed was supposed to be reassuring before he stumbled over to the Blade.
"Where's Dream?" Siren asked as he leaned against the Blade's side.
The Blade wrapped his arm around the injured villain, "He's over there- stabbed him pretty good, but he'll be up again soon. Did you call for help?"
Siren nodded and opened his mouth to say something, his eyes darting over to where Tommy was nursing his arm on the desk. Tommy froze as their eyes met. When Siren turned back to the Blade Tommy readied himself to be outed. It wasn't like he could get away, and against the Blade he'd be dead in seconds.
"Yeah...I called," Siren nodded.
He looked like he wanted to say more, but his head lulled against the Blade's shoulder. Tommy stayed tense in case Siren changed his mind, but after some whispering between the two, they stumbled out of the book store. Leaving Tommy alone with Dream injured somewhere else among the stacks of books.
Carefully, he rested his hand against his injured arm and hissed in pain as the scratched-up skin burned. He'd have to bandage it up once he got to safety, but first, he had to find a new way down. He glanced back over to the drawer handles that had been his downfall the first time and spat at them as if they had purposefully caused him to fall.
He stumbled over to the other side of the drawers where Siren had been sitting and to his surprise, he found that one of the rolling carts had been pulled up to the side. The thought that Siren had done it to help him crossed his mind, but he quickly shooed the thought away as the sounds of Dream's pained groans echoed from across the room. It must have been an accident, there was no way the villain had intended to help him.
Carefully he wrapped his legs around one of the poles on the cart's side. With his good arm he balanced himself, and then like a firefighter down a pole, he slid down to the bottom. When he reached the wheel at the bottom of the cart, he cautiously jumped down to the carpet below.
His feet hit the ground with a dull thud, and even though it wasn't far, pain raced up his arm. Above him, the lights and alarms blared as if Tommy hadn't already come face-to-face with the danger. As he rubbed his hand against his arm trying to relieve some of the pain, he heard shuffling from the other side of the room.
Dream must have gotten up.
As he heard the hero move he quickly raced to the wall where a small hole opened up to the shop's inner workings. It was barely a home, but he made do with what he could get. As he dug through his measly supplies to find bandages he heard an angered shout from the hero before the sound of cracking glass came from the entrance.
He knew the next day he would have to move, he couldn't stay in a place where he'd been caught...especially by a supervillain, but for the night he decided he deserved to rest. So after he'd properly wrapped up his arm and had some of the little food he'd been able to find before the attack, he wrapped himself in cloth and fell asleep.