Work Text:
You liked to think of yourself as a strong person most of the time. When customers gave you a hard time, you answered with a smile. When you got kicked out of your first apartment by your roommate and her boyfriend, you’d managed well enough on park bench before finding a place of your own. When you got caught by a mugger in an alley on your way home from work, you took care of the problem on your own. You knew how to handle adversity in the least obtrusive way.
Or so you’d thought.
Because something you couldn’t laugh away was the massive, shrieking space-worm-dragon thing bearing down upon you. Everywhere you looked, people screamed and cars exploded and policemen tried desperately to get onlookers moving in the right direction toward safety. You, on the other hand…you were frozen, only able to stare as your life flashed in front of your eyes.
“Get down!”
Those were the only words that warned you that someone was coming. Maybe if you’d heeded them, you could have avoided being smashed into by some flying object that slammed you into a brick wall.
“Are you okay?”
Dazed, frightened, with tears threatening to spill down your cheeks, you could answer only by finding the face of the man that had saved you, or at least what you assumed was his face. It was covered by a mask. Was he another alien? Your mouth worked to answer.
The mask flipped up, revealing a very human face. You released the breath you’d been holding and choked on the sudden influx of oxygen. Your unexpected savior patted your back with his armored hand.
“I’m–fine,” you managed to sputter.
“Good.” The mask snapped back down; he turned back toward the fray. “Follow the alleyway to the back. Keep your head down. And next time? Don’t let one of those things get that close. I might not be near enough to perform a heroic rescue.”
“Will do.”
He looked back at you one last time, then erupted into the air. As he did, though, you could have sworn you heard him say:
"Stay safe.“