Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

There are three things Skeppy learned quickly upon becoming a Hero.

First and foremost, nothing is so black and white as it seems. More often than not, Villains are not monsters but people acting out, and politicians and even a few heroes are not as good as they seem.

It was a simple lesson, some of which Skeppy already knew, but still shocking to see in practice nonetheless.

The line especially became blurred when Skeppy was thrown under the bus for blame by a Hero and patched up from a nasty cut by a Villain within the same twenty four hour time frame. Skeppy never forgot either.

The second lesson was simple yet just as important: Never let down your guard on the job. Reacting too slowly could very well get you killed and walking into a trap, more often than not, leaves you waking up in a place you don’t recognize with a killer headache.

And the third and final lesson was that the split between your civilian identity and your Hero identity was an illusion. No matter what he wore or if the public knew him as ‘The Diamond’ or as Skeppy, he was still a Hero either way. And not in a ‘Heart of a Hero’ cheesy-yet-never-failed-to-make-him-choked-up way, but in a way where if it came down to it, Skeppy was always on duty.

Even if he clocks out at work, if Skeppy is at a scene and they’re in need of a Hero, he answers the call. Even if he’s meant to be resting at home, if a scared civilian needs to hide in his house for unknown reasons, Skeppy will protect them.

The latter is a personal experience. Funnily enough, it’s happened more than once, just one time with a civilian and another with his nemesis. Which sounds bad but it isn’t- it was just… Confusing.

But then again, there were a lot of confusing things about his nemesis.

Self proclaimed bad boy ‘BadBoyHalo’ had all the right ingredients to make a genuinely terrifying Villain. He had the ability to manipulate darkness and often used it to shroud himself in a thick smoke. When his power was active, it gave him demon-like appearances like long horns and clawed hands. While weakened by bright lights and especially sunlight, Bad’s powers were still something to fear during the day and were a force to be reckoned with at night. He was devastatingly experienced and had reflexes that in their own right, could easily kill Skeppy if he truly wanted to.

Skeppy had been intimidated the first few times he met the guy. His ‘evil laugh’ was a little cheesy unless he used a deeper tone of voice that quickly changed it to horrifying, and Skeppy was genuinely pushed out of his usual comfort zone during their fights, forced to think on his feet and be resourceful.

Skeppy got more used to his presence over time but he was never fully comfortable until the day Bad dropped the villain act and-...

And fussed over him.

Skeppy gets it. He had to take a few days off to get some work done- moving apartments, getting everything set up, a few sleepless nights helping a friend- he looked as exhausted as he felt. He already had bags under his eyes but they had been more visible than ever.

So, yes, Bad had every right to be baffled by his visible need for a self care day but Bad was a Villain and hearing him audibly drop the dramatic voice to ask him when the last time he had a good night’s sleep had left him nonplussed. What was he supposed to say to that?

Without thinking, Skeppy admitted his week had been rough and Bad immediately shut down his evil plan and demanded he go home. And while everything Skeppy had learned in the academy told him to not listen to what Villains wanted him to do, the mental image of getting to curl up under his sheets and sleep the night away had been too tempting not to pass up, so against his better judgment, Skeppy did exactly that once he knew Bad was being serious.

The next day, Skeppy woke up groggily but better than before, popped on his Hero outfit, and went to work once again.

Skeppy thought it would just be a fluke. A one time weird moment where the Villain he was facing felt bad fighting a sleep-deprived opponent and they would never speak of it again.

Except now it’s happened so many times that Skeppy lost count a month ago.

The Villain BadBoyHalo scolds him when Skeppy offhandedly mentions he hasn’t eaten today. The Villain BadBoyHalo offers him a bottle of water to hydrate and the water hasn’t been tampered with. The Villain BadBoyHalo chides him for his ‘Non-family friendly language’ even when nobody is around.

By all means, BadBoyHalo should’ve been a terrifying Villain and yet, he was kind.

And at some point, he stopped being ‘The Shadowy Villain, BadBoyHalo’ and just started being Bad. Just Bad.

Skeppy didn’t know what to make of it. Publicly, they were nemesis, but alone? Something else. Friends, maybe? It was weird, they never really sat down and talked about these things. How could they? They didn’t even know each other’s names outside of work.

Skeppy doesn’t even know why Bad of all people was doing this. Most of his villainous acts were downright mellow, especially compared to other villains, and while he could be destructive, he always avoided hurting anybody innocent, regardless if they actively got in his way or not.

Bad was confusing in many ways. But on the top of the list was the fact that he kept showing up to Skeppy’s house.

—1—

The first time it happened, Skeppy was frozen in place and at a loss for what to do. He barely walked through the door, shedding his powered up form which covered his body in protective, blue diamonds and gave him a much more angular look on top of it. His hair had just returned to its natural dark brown color and soft texture, and as the door clicked shut behind him, Skeppy came to an abrupt halt at the sight in front of him.

The window closest to the living room of his apartment was wide open, a cold breeze making the curtains flutter in the breeze. A thick trail of blood started right where the window was and snaked its way over to one of the sides of the couch, and there sat an all too familiar figure with a cloak of shadows covering him from head to toe.

BadBoyHalo broke into his house. He broke in, waited for him here, and was now looking up at him with those glowing, white eyes, covered in blood, and still powered up.

Skeppy blinked and mentally backtracked. Bad was covered in blood. Not splattered, it had a clear, concentrated source. He’s leaning against the couch, one hand is covering his left side- injury. The blood is his.

“Sorry,” Bad breathed, voice strained with effort. “I wouldn’t have come if I knew anywhere else to go.”

BadBoyHalo is his nemesis. A Villain. Highly skilled not just with his powers but a variety of weapons, including throwing knives. He’s not looking at him like he just broke into the first person's house he found and didn't know it would be his- he already knew who he is and where he lived. He definitely knows what his civilian form looks like now if he didn't before. He’s dangerous.

But he’s also the same Villain who once delayed a heist because he was giving Skeppy a lecture on the proper way to break a window without getting hurt, even though Skeppy had done it a dozen times before and his power was all about defense.

And he’s bleeding on his living room carpet floors, looking smaller than ever.

His Hero Instincts kick in before Skeppy has time to think. In this scenario, Bad’s public identity as a supervillain doesn’t matter. He’s injured and scared, he’s effectively a civilian in need and it’s Skeppy’s civic duty to aid anyone in need.

He snaps out of the frozen haze and rushes to his bathroom to collect his first aid kit. Skeppy tries not to think about the surprise and relief in Bad’s eyes when he returns with it and instead, kneels down and asks, “What happened?”

“It- doesn’t matter.” Bad replies hesitantly. He avoids his gaze, staring down at his hand and carefully removing it to show Skeppy the full extent of the wound.

It earns a wince out of him. It’s a deep gash and judging by the wound, it had to come from something thicker than just a blade. Skeppy hasn’t the slightest idea what. He’s never seen anything like it, not even from other heroes.

He’s never been a big fan of anything in the medical department but despite it, Skeppy knows how to clean up and patch up a wound as well as he knows how to fight. He has Ponk to thank for that. Dr, Lemon, as he was called once he donned his hero costume, is both a hero and a doctor as his name suggests. When he isn't out battling his nemesis’ Warden and Godling, he spents the rest of his time in the medic wing. Skeppy met him there for the first time after his arm had landed wrong and dislocated. Ponk put it back into place.

Becoming familiar with him through visits to the wing was normal; all Heroes sustained injuries and met him at some point or another. Ponk’s issue was that Skeppy’s visits were more frequent than anyone else. He was a young hero at that point, overconfident in his own abilities to protect him and ended up pushing his limits too far on multiple accounts. It took a broken arm, a month off work, and a scolding from Ponk about being careful to finally slow down, and even when he did, Ponk insisted he needed to learn first aid in case he ever got hurt like that again but couldn’t return to HQ.

Nowadays, that knowledge is used less for himself and more for others. Bad isn’t the first person he’s ever had to patch up, and likely won’t be the last.

Bad hisses as Skeppy applies the disinfectant, his whole body seizing up. Skeppy absentmindedly apologies and soothes him with soft assurances that it’ll be over soon enough. He makes quick work of patching the wound up, carefully wrapping it firmly but not tight enough to bother him once it’s clean and proudly standing back the moment it’s done.

Bad isn’t breathing as heavily anymore, which is a good sign, he thinks. His eyes shut for a moment, leaning against the arm of his couch and looking like he could pass out any moment. Then he abruptly snaps his eyes open and attempts to get up. Skeppy immediately protests, closing in and putting a hand on his shoulder. Bad’s eyes squeeze shut from what is no doubt a wave of pain from jostling his wound.

“Whoa! Fuck, man, don’t do that! Sit down!” Skeppy doesn’t give him a choice, gently guiding him down to the couch before he pulls his hand back. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“I- I shouldn’t stay.” Bad answers softly. He doesn’t meet Skeppy’s eyes. “I’ve overstayed my welcome. I shouldn’t have even come here in the first place-!”

“No, you did the right thing coming here.” Skeppy finds himself saying. He still has no idea how Bad knew where he lived but… If any Villain were to know, he’s glad it’s Bad of all people. At least he wouldn’t use it against him. “I’m glad you’re here and not bleeding out on some rooftop out there.”

Bad huffs a laugh. Skeppy raises an eyebrow. “I’m being serious- I don’t want you dead, Bad!”

“No, no- I know that…” Bad finally looks up at him, and… Smiles at him. Fondly. “It’s just very… You. It’s the reason why you’re my favorite Hero.”

Skeppy feels as if there’s a lot to unpack here. He tucks it away for later and runs on autopilot, making a beeline over to the cupboards and pulling out some pain medication. He fills up a glass of water too and brings both over to Bad.

“Here,” he sets down the glass on his coffee table and drops the pills into Bad’s already open and waiting palm. “Should help, they’re specially designed for superpowered folks like us. Doesn’t dull anything down.”

Bad obediently swallows the pills. He croaks out a ‘Thank you’ afterwards and gulps down the remainder of his water in record time. His behavior doesn’t escape Skeppy’s notice.

“When was the last time you ate?” Skeppy asks, making an educated guess. At Bad’s wince, he knows his answer is ‘Too long’ and heads back to the kitchen.

“You don’t have to do that…” Bad tries.

“Shut up, I’m making you something.” Skeppy skims through his fridge and cupboards, trying to think what will take the least amount of time while also leaving little room for fuck ups. “You like chicken strips?”

“I… Yeah.” Bad seemingly accepts his fate, knowing this isn’t a battle he’ll win.

Skeppy pops the chicken onto a tray and pre-heats the oven. When he faces Bad again, it occurs to him that there’s a trail of blood he still needs to clean up. He really is fortunate that his job means he has experience with that sort of thing or this would be a bigger inconvenience.

“Stay put, I’m getting my mop.” Skeppy calls over to Bad. The Villain shifts uncomfortably.

“Anything I can-”

“No.” Skeppy shuts him down before he can finish. “Just stay there. Doctor’s orders.”

“You’re not a doctor.”

“Legally? No. But I’m your doctor and I say sit. I’m cleaning.”

Bad grumbles quietly but ultimately stays where he is. He watches as Skeppy mops up his blood and when he’s finished, pops the chicken tenders in and sets a timer. With nothing else to do, he takes his place sitting beside Bad.

There’s a long pause between them. Both wanting to say something but not quite having the words at first. Bad is the first to find his.

“You didn’t have to do this.” Bad tells him. “Patching up my wound was more than enough. I would’ve been fine to go.”

“Do you have anywhere safe to go?”

Bad doesn’t answer. Skeppy clicks his tongue.

“That’s what I thought. Stay put- honestly, it might be better for you to sleep on the couch tonight.”

Bad immediately recoils, holding his hands up. “I- I couldn’t! Shouldn’t!”

“You’re already here.” Skeppy points out, and Bad falters. “Might as well stay the night. I’m sure your injury would thank you if you did.”

“…Okay.” Bad says slowly. Even if he sounds unsure, Skeppy counts it as a win.

His eye trails over to the bandages. They’re a little bloody but that’s to be expected with Bad’s wound. That thing was brutal, he can’t even begin to guess who got a hold of him.

“What happened?” Skeppy finds himself saying. Bad’s discomfort becomes apparent almost instantaneous and Skeppy backtracks before Bad can say anything. “You don’t owe me an answer! I just… Fuck man, that had to hurt.”

“It did.” Bad replies quietly. “And I can’t tell you. It… It’s complicated.”

Skeppy doesn’t like the sound of that. Not because he doesn’t like not knowing things- though, he doesn’t like that either- but because that means Bad isn’t safe. Because Bad sounds small when he says it, and all Skeppy can think about is wrapping his arms around him and pulling him close.

He almost does. Bad looks like he could use a hug, but that would make things complicated. They already are but every time Skeppy blurs the lines between what a Hero and Villain’s relationship should be like, it gets worse. It gets harder to fight him like he should. Like a good Hero should.

But shouldn’t a good Hero also show kindness even to their Villains? Treat them like the people they are, rather than the monsters the press might make them out to be?

It’s too damned complicated. Skeppy sticks to the basics: Someone needs his help, he helps them. That’s all it needs to be.

The timer goes off in time and Skeppy serves the majority of the chicken strips to Bad, while also snatching one for himself. It’s odd, eating beside someone he’s used to fighting, but he doesn’t feel on edge. He can’t seem to register Bad as dangerous by any means, and that means… Something.

Something probably important but Skeppy mentally files it away for later.

Eventually, Skeppy gives Bad his extra blankets and pillows before turning in for the night. In the morning, he wakes up to an empty couch, and a post-it note stuck to his fridge with three simple letters.

‘I-O-U’

—2—

The second time Bad arrives at his house, Skeppy actually knows why he’s there and isn’t entirely surprised by his presence. However, it hasn’t stopped being a shock that Bad actually trusts and finds safety in Skeppy, a Hero who fights him on a regular basis.

It was around a month after the first time he showed up and Skeppy had already cashed in his ‘IOU’ to call off one of Bad’s schemes when he was having a rougher day. Since then, the whole ordeal stayed in the back of his mind, lingering subconsciously in his thoughts and was something Skeppy often found himself thinking about when he was lying in the dark at night.

It was a rainy day too; the weather hadn’t let up once. Skeppy thanked his lucky stars that he didn’t have patrol or he’d be soaked to the bone. Instead, he stayed inside HQ and filled out his reports for the past week. The news was playing in the background but Skeppy only listened to it absentmindedly.

That is, until something actually caught his attention.

“-the Villain BadBoyHalo is still at large but local authorities are determined to track him down. We’re still getting details on the situation but we have reason to believe that BadBoyHalo might’ve been involved in taking one of the up and coming runners for Mayor’s life-”

“Oh shit.” Skeppy utters out loud, breathless. “Bad, what happened?”

He’s lucky that he gets out half an hour later. The minute Skeppy is off the clock, his legs carry him home. He doesn’t know how he knew, but something told him he would find Bad there.

He’s right. Bad’s sitting on the floor behind the couch, breathing erratically and knees huddled close to his chest. The window might be closed but Skeppy can see the water trail and knows that’s how Bad got in.

He should probably be concerned how easy it is for a Villain to break into his house but he isn’t. Because Bad is shivering like a leaf in the wind and his eyes are wide and unfocused and that’s more important than everything else at that moment.

“Bad? Bad- you gotta breathe, man.” Skeppy tells him softly. His hands hover over his shoulders, hesitant to touch him as if it’ll be crossing yet another line between friend and foe. But then Skeppy reminds himself that if they’ve already gotten to this point, there isn’t much use in looking back and throws caution into the wind, carefully setting his hands on Bad’s shoulders.

Bad flinches at first, snapping to attention like he only now knows that Skeppy is there before he reaches out and grabs a fistful of his shirt. Not threateningly but pleading.

“I- I didn’t- it wasn’t me.”

“I know-”

“I wouldn’t do that- I don’t kill, Diamond! I don’t even like blood, I- I was just-” Bad chokes and Skeppy quickly cuts him off before he can continue.

“Bad, I need you to breathe, alright? I know you had nothing to do with it, I know it wasn’t your fault- please just breathe with me. Follow my lead.”

Skeppy sucks in a deep breath, then lets it out slowly. Bad copies him. “Good- fantastic, BadBoy. You’re doing great.”

Skeppy doesn’t stop until Bad’s eyes aren’t fogged up anymore. Until his grip loosens on Skeppy’s shirt, though it doesn't quite drop. One hand still clings and Skeppy would be willing to bet money that Bad doesn’t even realize he’s still holding on.

“Better?” Skeppy asks gently. Bad gives an uneven nod. “Okay, good. You did good, BadBoy.”

Helping him comes a bit more naturally this time, even if Skeppy is still unnerved by seeing him like this. Bad, a Villain, his nemesis, now incredibly vulnerable and one bad moment from drifting away to the point where Skeppy might not be able to pull him back down to earth. It’s terrifying how much he cares about him despite their opposing occupations. Skeppy doesn’t know if he’ll ever get used to it.

Bad declines his offer of food when Skeppy makes it, which he can’t really blame him for, but he insists on at least getting some water in him. They sit on the couch, a feeling of deja vu washing over him as he attempts to figure out what to say. He briefly considers turning on the TV as a distraction before he remembers the news report and thinks better of it.

A knock at the door sends them both jumping out of their skin. Bad’s eyes are wild and on edge, and Skeppy motions to his closet. Bad nods quickly, then disappears into a veil of shadows that slips under his closet door.

Once he’s in the clear, Skeppy mentally prepares himself before answering.

Techno stands on the other side. It’s a relief to see he’s powered down, no longer bearing the face of a boar but instead, is left with his usual long, pink hair and glasses resting on the bridge of his nose. He holds a clipboard in his arms rather than a weapon and gives a nod of acknowledgment to Skeppy.

“Sorry, I would’ve asked before coming here but today has been a mess. May I come in?”

“Uh,” Skeppy responds eloquently, scrambling for a response.

“Relax.” Techno tells him in a softer voice. “You’re not in trouble, I just want your opinion on something. Won’t take long, promise.”

Skeppy resists the urge to glance at his closet. God, he hopes Bad will be okay. “Sure, yeah.” He steps to one side, allowing Techno passage into his home.

Techno mumbles a ‘Thanks’ and makes a beeline for the couch. There, he plops himself down and begins rummaging through his documents. “I assume you’ve seen the news?”

Skeppy resists the urge to flinch, hyper aware of the Villain in his closet. “Yeah, ‘course. What kinda Hero would I be if I didn’t keep up with it?”

“One of the candidates running for mayor was killed during their speech.” Techno pauses. “Your nemesis was seen fleeing the scene of the crime. Since you know him well I was wondering-”

“He doesn’t kill.” Skeppy cuts him off. “He fights until the Hero can’t anymore but the worst injury I’ve ever gotten from him was a few broken ribs from an accident. Bad aims to exhaust, not to maim. This wasn’t his work, he was just at the wrong time and wrong place.”

Techno nods, coping his statement down. “Is it possible he aided the murderer?”

“Not knowingly.”

Another nod. Techno rattles off a few more questions and Skeppy answers them to the best of his ability. By the end of it, Techno looks down at the document and huffs. “Thank you. It didn’t look like his sort of work but they sent me down to get an official statement from you anyways. Didn’t mean to bother you during your time off.”

“Heroes are never off duty.” Skeppy jokes. He hesitates but when Techno starts to get up, it comes out in a rush. “Is there anything else I can do to help clear his name? Nobody deserves to be on the list of suspects for a crime they didn’t commit.”

Techno pauses. “Well. If you could track him down and get some information out of him, that would be great.”

“I can do that.” Skeppy replies a little too quickly.

Techno raises an eyebrow.

“I just-” Skeppy sputters to save it. “Might know where he might hide until things cool down.”

That probably sounds worse but Skeppy has the relief of knowing Techno has a few Villains he sees good in too.

“…Alright. Don’t do anything dumb, I don’t want you gettin’ hurt.”

“Me? Never.” Skeppy opts for a more teasing tone, that gets a huff of a laugh he counts as a win.

“If you’ve got anything more to add, don’t hesitate to contact me. See you tomorrow.”

Skeppy sees him out the door, resisting the urge to call him by his real name as he leaves. As much as he trusts Bad, that isn’t his information to tell.

The moment the door is closed and locked, Skeppy turns and yelps at Bad’s face being inches away from his own.

“I can give a statement.” Bad tells him. “I don’t know who it was but… I can at least tell my side of it.”

“Slow down!” Skeppy holds his hands up. “Just… Are you sure you’re up for that sort of thing?”

Bad nods quickly. “I need to clear my name. It- it wasn’t me!”

“I know, it’s okay. Would you be okay if we recorded the statement? I need definitive proof that you gave it.”

Bad nods again. “Anything to clear my name.”

—

Twenty minutes is all it takes to get Bad’s side of the story and send it to Techno. Skeppy has no doubt that Techno will have questions for him on just how fast he was able to get it, but he can deal with that later.

“Alright, Te- The Pig will take care of the rest but I’d lay low for a while if I were you.” Skeppy tells him, getting a silent nod in return. He hesitates but the words just slip out of his mouth before he knows it. “If you want, you could stay here for the night. I know your shadowy powers let you slip around but it would be safer than trying to go home..?”

Bad doesn’t respond right away. Skeppy almost panics when he sees how far away his eyes look until Bad speaks up a moment later. “Why are you so nice to me?”

Skeppy stops at that. “What do you mean?”

“I’m a Villain.” Bad says. “But you… You go out of your way to help me when I need it.”

“Heroes are supposed to help everyone regardless of who they are.”

Bad gives him a look. “Most Heroes wouldn’t go as far as to let their nemesis into their home, much less let them stay for the night.”

“Well you kinda let yourself in.”

“I would’ve left if you asked.”

Skeppy hesitates. “Yeah but… How did you know where I lived in the first place? And- how do you know what my civilian form looks like but not what my real name is?”

Bad doesn’t answer. Skeppy kind of expected that but it still would’ve been nice to know. It’s clear Bad isn’t planning to use any of that against him or he would’ve done it by now, it just doesn’t explain how he knew in the first place. Skeppy knows he’s made some mistakes but he’s not careless. He can’t think of anything he’s done that might’ve given it away.

“You avoided my question…” Bad mumbles. “Why are you so nice to me?”

Bad isn’t easy to fool, not when it comes to someone being genuine at least. If Skeppy wants to answer, he’ll have to be honest.

It’s shockingly easy to be. It shouldn’t be, but it is. Because it’s Bad.

“I think you have a good heart.” Skeppy finds himself saying. “You’re a Villain but I don’t think your heart’s in it. You might find some joy in destruction but you don’t want to hurt people who don’t deserve it. So while it’s my job to stop you when you’re pulling schemes, I think you deserve to be treated kindly when you need help.”

I care about you, Skeppy wants to say. And I don’t know when that happened but I do. And if you need me, I’ll be there for you, because I think you deserve someone to treat you like a person, not a Villain.

He doesn’t say it. Because he’s crossed a lot of lines but that one is daunting and would likely set in motion some type of change that he isn’t ready for.

So instead Skeppy says, “Stick around until morning at least. You’ll be safe here.”

And Bad says, “Okay.”

—3—

The third time is just after it snows and Skeppy nearly decks Bad when he shows up.

In his defense, Skeppy had been up for less than twenty minutes. His morning coffee had only a sip taken out of it, his eyes were barely open in the first place, and since it was his day off, Skeppy intended to spend it lazily. With a blanket draped over his shoulders, he carefully took another sip and stood in his kitchen for a few minutes in an attempt to wake up.

Then Bad materialized out of the fucking shadows like some goddamn boogieman and Skeppy’s fight or fight kicked in. Lucky for Bad, his reflexes were quicker than Skeppy’s were at the time and he managed to duck before Skeppy could leave a mark.

“Hey Diamond- FUDGE!” Bad yelped, scrambling back and only narrowly missing his fist. “What was that for?”

“Fucking Hell, Bad!” Skeppy had to use his table for support. His heart was thumping wildly in his chest. “Give me a warning next time before you fucking- do that shadowy thing!” It was a miracle he didn’t spill all his coffee, though he did lose a good quarter of it for his sudden movements.

“Oh- right, sorry.” Bad winced sympathetically. “I… Didn’t think about that. I just- it was easier than coming through the window again?”

Skeppy groaned. It felt like Bad had just given him a free trial on what a heart attack felt like. He had to take another few minutes just to recover, and even then he still felt all shaky.

“Did you want something?” Skeppy asked at least, straightening up. He chugged down the rest of his coffee, afraid he might need it if Bad was here. He had only ever come for emergencies in the past, it was fair to assume this was one too.

Bad’s mouth flapped open and closed, abruptly looking unsure. Skeppy might’ve been a little more sympathetic but he was barely out of bed and already given a heart attack so he wasn’t exactly the most patient at that moment.

“Just spit it out,” Skeppy sighed, “I wanna know what we’re dealing with.”

“Maybe- this might’ve been a bad idea. I should go.”

“Bad.”

“It really isn’t that big of a deal, I just- well, I-”

“Bad!”

“The heating in my building broke.”

Skeppy stared at him, dumbfounded. Regret slowly formed on Bad’s face.

“Yeah, this was a dumb idea, I’m sorry-”

“No, no, wait.” Skeppy managed to stop him before he could disappear into a puff of smoke. “Just- hold on a minute. I’m processing this.”

Bad frowned at him but it was the truth. No matter how he spun it, Skeppy was still struggling to wrap his head around it. It just- it was absurd, wasn’t it?

His nemesis showed up not because of another crisis he couldn’t solve on his own, but because his heating went out.

It wasn’t unreasonable if they were friends. It was freezing out- winters tended to be pretty brutal in their city. Without indoor heating, Bad’s place must’ve been practically a freezer and incredibly uncomfortable to stay in. If that had happened to Skeppy, he probably would’ve gone to stay with Techno or Puffy or someone he was decently close to.

But Bad’s heating went out and he chose to come to Skeppy. Like they were honest to god friends.

They were friends, but not like that. They were nemesis-friends, workplace friends- something like that. There wasn’t an exact word for it but…

Bad came to him, likely hoping to camp out at his place until the heating was fixed.

What did that say about them? How close had they gotten without Skeppy realizing it?

What did it say about him if Skeppy was okay with this?

Skeppy cleared his throat, trying to ignore the inner battle going on within his head. “Right. So, uh, how long until the heating is fixed?”

“They said it would be ready tomorrow.” Bad shifted his feet. “I… I wouldn’t have come here normally but… Most of my friends live in the same building as me so I didn’t have many options?”

Last resort- okay, that made things better. He wasn’t Bad’s first choice, that was good. It wasn’t too complicated yet. He could salvage this.

Skeppy nodded. “You can hang around until then. Lucky for both of us, I got groceries yesterday so I’m stocked up. No trouble at all.”

Bad’s shoulders slumped in relief. “Good- I would hate to be a bother.”

“Not at all. Uh- have you had breakfast yet?”

—

Skeppy went about his day with Bad there. It should’ve felt different and changed up his routine but other than having another person there… It was almost natural.

Even with him powered up the whole time, never once dropping his form and walking around as a shadow demon, Skeppy barely blinked twice at it. He was just there and… It was okay. It was like he was always there and barely anything had really changed.

He watched TV with the Villain BadBoyHalo. He folded his laundry and the Villain BadboyHalo helped. The Villain BadBoyHalo cooked for him and it was fucking delicious.

Skeppy was a Hero. There was a Villain in his house and even if he wasn’t doing anything wrong at that moment, he had a list of crimes to his name and bringing him in would’ve been what a Hero should do.

Thing was, Skeppy couldn’t look Bad in the eyes and confidently say he was a Villain. In occupation alone, sure he was, but Bad had never been a bad person and Skeppy couldn’t see him becoming one. If things had been different, Bad could’ve even been a Hero.

If he was a Hero, there would be no problem. Bad wouldn’t have to cling to his civilian form and identify, unable to trust it to him. He would be able to call Skeppy by his name and they could be roommates and work together and they would be friends. No complications, just friends.

It shouldn’t have made him ache that he didn’t have that. He shouldn’t even want that, but while the Hero Diamond might’ve had near unbreakable diamond coated skin, Skeppy was but a man and Bad made him feel more like himself than anyone ever had. Because while Skeppy had plenty of friends, he had never clicked with somebody so fast. He had never felt such a pull to somebody he didn’t know well enough and wanted to know so badly.

He didn't really believe in fate or destiny. Sure, a lot was possible with Superpowers in the world, but nothing was pre-determined in his eyes. But Puffy talked a lot about believing that there were people you were meant to meet in your life. That no matter what, they would show up and worm their way into your heart somehow, whether they be platonic or romantic.

Skeppy wasn’t sure if he believed in that sort of thing but if that was anyone, it was Bad, and he didn’t know what to do about it.

—

He had forgotten how it started but Skeppy had started talking with Bad nonstop at some point until abruptly, the sun was gone from the sky and they were shivering a little.

Apparently he had forgotten to turn up the heat when it had gotten colder and now, they paid the price for it. Skeppy corrected his mistake but his apartment was old and it would be a while before it heated up completely. And worse, Bad looked dead on his feet, eyes drooping.

So without thinking, Skeppy offered to share his bed since it would be warmer in his room. He didn’t expect Bad to actually accept but he did and now here they were, stiffly lying side by side.

It was still cold.

It would be warmer if they were close together, Skeppy knew that and he had a feeling Bad did too. If they cuddled, they could fall asleep in no time. Get the rest both of them needed.

But all Bad did was spare glances at Skeppy, looking like he wanted to say something but held his tongue.

There were lines they weren’t supposed to cross. They were Hero and Villain, not co-workers or roommates or even friends. No matter what happened, there were supposed to be lines that defined them and their relationship. A clear definition of what they were.

But Skeppy was so fucking tired of lines he couldn’t cross.

Bad almost jumps when Skeppy abruptly snuggles closer but doesn’t pull away. After a moment to process, his hand is on Skeppy’s back, a sign that he isn’t pushing boundaries right now. Skeppy gets closer until his head is on Bad’s shoulder and Bad leans his head on top of it.

They don’t say anything. Skeppy doesn’t know if he could speak if he tried anyways, so he lets his eyes drop until he’s plunged into darkness, and left with nothing but warmth in his chest.

Bad is gone when he wakes up.

Even with the heat on, the cold consumes him.

—4—

The fourth time Bad shows up at his place, he looks just as confused as Skeppy feels.

It’s a little less than a week after the last time. Skeppy got off of work only about half an hour ago and was in the middle of ordering takeout when he sees it out of the corner of his eye. Darkness swirling and taking a very familiar shape in the middle of his kitchen.

Sure enough, Bad materializes there, blinking owlishly. He does a full 180 before laying eyes on Skeppy, and only then does recognition flicker in his eyes. His mouth opens and closes, like traveling scrambled his brain.

Skeppy just huffs, recovering faster than Bad himself and asks, “I’m ordering some Chinese food, you want anything?”

“Uh.” Bad replies gracefully. “…Do they have teriyaki chicken?”

They go back and forth on what to order, as if they live together and have done this a dozen times before. Once the order is placed, Bad stands stiffly, having not moved a single inch from where he teleported in, until Skeppy rolls his eyes and ushers him over.

Bad takes a seat, occasionally glancing not so sneakily in Skeppy’s direction. Whatever haze he arrived in still hasn’t worn off and if this was the first time, Skeppy would get it. But Bad’s ended up in his place so many times that Skeppy might as well set up a guest bedroom for him- hell, maybe they can go in on a place together! What would the fucking difference be?

And yet, it’s like they’ve rewinded a few days because Bad is treating him like a goddamn stranger and not like-

…Whatever they are. Skeppy still hasn’t a fucking clue but he knows that for whatever reason, Bad giving him his version of a cold shoulder makes his chest tight.

“I would’ve appreciated a note.”

Bad startles, not at the statement but that Skeppy is bringing it up at all. Skeppy can’t deny that he’s a little shocked himself since he didn’t actually know he would be talking until now but it’s already out in the open and before he knows it, the rest comes spilling out.

“I get it- really, I do.” He starts. “But we’ve done this before. This isn’t new. The- intimacy was, I’ll give you that, but nothing else was. I know you, you know me, and we both fucking know that a Hero and Villain shouldn’t be eating together like they’re roommates- let alone meeting at one of their houses- but we’re past that. There was a line in the sand and we crossed it and to be honest, I can’t even see the stupid line anymore if I tried. Waves of friendship or some shit came in and washed all the lines away and I can’t see them anymore, let alone remember what they meant.”

Where is he going with this? He had a point when he started but then it all sort of just came flooding out and…

“I’m not- I’m not mad at you.” Skeppy clarifies because there’s a guilty look in Bad’s eyes and that’s not the point. He doesn’t want Bad to feel guilty, he’s not mad at Bad. It’s not his fault. “I just- I didn’t know if I crossed a line.”

Bad blinks. “The- the line in the sand thing?”

“No, I-” fuck, he definitely made this more complicated than it needed to be, “Like a boundary. With you. Did I upset you?”

That seems to be the final piece of the puzzle for Bad. What pushes him to be on the right wavelength with Skeppy.

“Because if I upset you, I would’ve like to know-”

“You didn’t!” Bad cuts him off, rapidly gesturing ‘No’ with his hands. “That wasn’t- I’m not the most touchy type of person but that was actually… Nice. I liked it.”

Something warm blooms in Skeppy’s chest- relief, he presumes. He has to swallow it down in order to keep his voice from wobbling. “Good… That’s good to know.”

“I meant to stay for breakfast but I,” shame flashes across Bad’s face, “I got nervous. It’s not that I don’t like you- I actually think I like you too much?”

Skeppy’s not going to cry. He’s not. He’s just a little misty-eyed because that feels good to hear.

Bad continues. “And- it’s like you said! I’m a Villain, I’m not supposed to be fraternizing with Heroes. And- and honestly, I didn’t even mean to come here. I was just thinking about you and somehow ended up here.”

“You were thinking about me?” Skeppy repeats, pleasantly surprised.

“Maybe.” Bad rubs the back of his neck. “I mean, you are my nemesis. I think I’m kinda supposed to think about you, just maybe not the way I was.”

“And… What do you think about me?” Skeppy presses. He can only just keep the eagerness out of his voice.

“I don’t know. It’s… Different.” Bad shifts. “I, um. Think of you fondly.”

“Fondly?” Skeppy echoes, and this time there’s a stupidly big smile on his face. “What type of fond? Like a brother? A friend? A best friend? Do you want to kiss me?”

As Skeppy leans in teasingly, Bad rolls his eyes and gives Skeppy a light shove. Laughter erupts from his throat.

“You- muffinhead.” Bad grumbles. “I don’t even know where to begin with you.” After a beat, he adds, “It’s hard to explain. I don’t really know what we are but you’re… Important to me? I want to hold you and… Keep you safe.”

“I know the feeling.” Skeppy replies easily, because he does. He thinks about all the times he’s seen Bad upset or hurt and how he wished he could take that away. Wished he could convince Bad to leave this life behind and they could just go. He doesn’t know where, but as long as it was safe, Skeppy wouldn’t really care.

They can’t leave their lives behind though. Or at least, Skeppy knows he can’t. As nice as it sounds to get away from it all, he has connections he holds tight to and doesn’t want to let go of. Bad is hopefully the same- he has to have friends, doesn’t he? Surely there are other Villains he gets along with.

Bad’s head leaning on his shoulder jolts him out of his thoughts and immediately causes him to melt. His presence is comforting, a fact he can no longer deny, and Skeppy wishes he could stay forever. He can’t, for reasons Skeppy doesn’t know, so he reaches for something a little more reasonable.

“Stay? For the rest of the day?”

Bad hesitates. “I… Shouldn’t.”

“Villains don’t really follow the rules though.”

Bad stifles a laugh. “It’s a different type of rule. But… I could get away with it for one day.”

Skeppy finds himself clinging to Bad, somewhere between possessive and protective, but undeniably unwilling to let go. Bad leans into it, the shadows of his powered up form feel cool against his skin.

“You could power down.” It slips out without meaning to. Bad stiffens. “I just mean- you already know what I look like, what’s the difference?”

Bad swallows thickly. “It’s complicated, Diamond.”

“You say that about a lot of things.”

“Because- everything about this is. It’s not gonna stop. Not for… I don’t know how long. But not now. Not yet.”

“But eventually?”

“…Eventually.” Bad says slowly.

He’s not telling the whole truth, Skeppy can see that from a mile away. But he’s here, in Skeppy’s arms, and that’ll have to be enough for now. They’ll deal with everything when it comes to it.

“I’ll hold you to that.” Skeppy tells him. It earns him a little laugh that makes his chest feel light again.

—5—

The fifth time is messier than all of the others combined.

Skeppy gasps awake, immediately met with a ripple of pain that courses through his body. He’s blinded by fluorescent lights, only able to make out vague shapes, and finds a couple figures by his bedside. One places a firm hand on his chest, preventing him from getting up.

They’re speaking to him but all Skeppy gets is muffled sounds. Everything hurts- bandages are wrapped around his torso and shoulder and it hurts to breathe. He wants to say something but somehow, he knows it’ll hurt more.

Someone- the one whose hand is keeping him from getting up- leans over to him and just barely, Skeppy can make out what they’re saying. “-iamond? Can you hear me?”

Skeppy nods shakily. He knows that voice but their name escapes him. They’re a comfort nonetheless, and Skeppy wants to cling to them. He would if he were able without hurting again.

“Take deep breaths, you need it.” They say. Their voice is so soothing and Skeppy tries to follow along. “Breathe- that’s it. You’re doing good.”

“Hurts.” Skeppy manages to say.

They pause, then turn to the other people in the room. He catches something about ‘Upping’ something but not much else. “They’re going to give you more painkillers. Should help.”

Skeppy nods again, but it’s groggy and unfocused. The figure whispers this time, just loud enough for only him to hear, “Rest, Skeppy. You need it.”

Techno. Skeppy realizes at last. Techno is here. He’ll make sure nothing happens.

Darkness consumes him and Skeppy lets it. Techno gives his hand a reassurance squeeze. Skeppy attempts to give one back but it’s weak and before he knows it, he’s slipped away and can’t even remember where he is.

—

“Oh,” Symphony purrs, eyes seemingly brighter than the sun itself, “You’re durable. I like that.”

A ripple of pain seizes Skeppy once again and he still can’t move an inch. He’s tried, to no avail. Thrashing does nothing, there’s no getting out on his own. Help is on the way but Skeppy wants them to find him faster. Then he wouldn’t have to hold on anymore.

If he were at his full power, he could last hours. Even the Villain Reaper would have trouble putting a dent in his defenses, and even if Symphony has a way to bypass his diamonds, Skeppy would at least resist more of it.

But at an eighth of his power, Skeppy can do nothing but endure what’s thrown at him and wait for help.

But he’s so tired. He’s running on fumes, it would be so much easier just to let go-

Skeppy jolts and Symphony’s smile gets wider.

“You’re clever!” Symphony laughs, and Skeppy can smell colors for a moment. “And here I thought you were just a pretty face. I can see why BadBoyHalo likes you. Hell, if you weren’t his nemesis, I would gladly take his place. All of my toys break so easily.”

Skeppy just needs to last- just a little longer…

“I wonder,” Symphony hums. “How long it would take me to break you too... Heroes are a dime a dozen, BadBoyHalo could go find another one.”

A dangerous smile twists onto his lips. “Why don’t we find out together?”

The weight of the world comes crashing down, so much pressure weighing on Skeppy’s chest that he screams, but all he can hear is Symphony laughing, laughing, laughing-

Someone shakes Skeppy awake. He immediately reaches out and grabs their arm, clinging to some semblance of reality, and opens his eyes.

The lights don’t blind him as much this time, but he still has to squint to see. Techno isn’t there but an equally familiar face greets him.

“Hey, sorry, I wouldn’t normally wake you up but you looked like you were having a bad nightmare.” Puffy tells him apologetically.

“I… Was.” Skeppy confesses.

He’s in the hospital. It makes sense in hindsight but he never quite processed that before. There’s an IV in his arm and while he still hurts, it’s easier to breathe. Puffy provides him with some ice chips, which he sucks on greedily.

There are flowers by his bedside, and that would’ve been a pleasant sight had he not noticed they were starting to wilt. It sends a bolt of panic through him.

“Puffy…” Skeppy croaks. “How long have I been here?”

The look in her eyes alone tells him enough but then she says, “A week.”

His heart drops. “Even with the Healers?”

Puffy nods gravely. “Symphony did a number on you. Techno was lucky to get to you before he did anything permanent.”

“And… What did the doctors say?”

“Two broken ribs, a punctured lung, internal bleeding, and a whole lot of fractured or bruised bones from what I heard. The Healers took a lot out of you, you’ve been in and out of consciousness.”

Skeppy groans; he’s never been fucked up this badly before. His whole power revolves around preventing this sort of thing, even if he’s also often pushed it past its natural limits. Not to mention, he usually fights Bad, and Bad has never pushed it this far.

But Symphony…

He screams until his throat is raw and Symphony only laughs. Pressure increases on his chest until he finally hears something snap-

“Ow- ow, Skeppy!”

He quickly releases Puffy’s arm, instead clutching his chest and trying to get a hold on his breathing. Puffy lays a hand on his shoulder and mumbles reassurances until it evens out again.

“Was it-” Skeppy cuts her off with a nod. She hums understandingly. All Heroes know it, it comes with the job.

“I should get the nurse, they’ll wanna check on you now that you’re a bit more awake.” Puffy stands to leave but Skeppy finds himself reaching out to stop her.

“Stay?” He asks. “I… Need a minute. Before the doctors come.”

“Mmm… Okay.” Puffy sits. “But only for a few minutes. I want to make sure you’re healing right.”

Skeppy sighs in relief, drinking in the quiet. “Thank you.”

—

After enough check ups for a lifetime and an approval for Healing Infused Pills, Skeppy finally is allowed to do the rest of his healing at home. Puffy drives him there and offers to walk him in but Skeppy insists he needs some time alone and she backs off.

Skeppy stumbles into his apartment, exhausted and relieved to finally be in the comforts of his home. Then, he notices all the lights are on already and the sound of water running in his bathroom and his blood runs cold.

Diamonds form on his skin in record time, encasing him in a protective second layer of skin. The bathroom door creaks open and the layer thickens as bile forms in his throat.

“Diamond? Diamond!”

Then he hears Bad’s voice and Skeppy can breathe again.

His power falls away as Skeppy sinks to his knees, abruptly feeling like his legs can no longer support him. Bad rushes to his side, one hand on his shoulder and the other gently cupping his cheek. His eyes flutter shut on his own as he catches his breath.

Not Symphony. Just Bad. Bad is safe.

Skeppy groans, pulling away to shake himself. “Sorry, don’t know what came over me. Wasn’t expecting…” He pauses, then tilts his head. “Why are you here?”

Bad’s expression morphs into disbelief. “Diamond- I saw the news, why wouldn’t I be here? You- you got hurt and I could barely rest until I saw for myself that you were okay!”

“Oh- fuck. The news. Was it bad?”

Bad gives him a look and Skeppy winces. “Yeah that tracks… I swear I’m okay now though- they wouldn’t have let me go home if I wasn’t!”

Bad’s eyes trail over the bandages around his shoulder peeking out from under his shirt, then meets his gaze again. “You’re gonna lay down and I’m gonna make you some chicken noodle soup.”

Skeppy groans again. “Bad, seriously.”

“I’m not taking ‘No’ for an answer!”

“It’s not even that bad anymore- they used Healing Powers on me!”

“Healing Powers harnesses your energy to heal you- you’ve got to be exhausted, Diamond!”

He was. Skeppy wanted to sleep until he forgot all his fear and the reason why he still hurt at all. He wanted to be swaddled in blankets and sleep for hours- days even. Sleep until he woke up, good as new, and could return to the HQ, confident that he was ready to jump back in.

Something must’ve changed in his demeanor because the next thing he knew, Bad was guiding him to his room and gently laying him down.

“Stay.” Bad commanded, firm but undeniable care in his words. “I’ll take care of you.”

It had been a long time since Skeppy willingly let someone take care of him. He was a Hero after all, it was supposed to be the other way around.

But Villains didn’t follow the rules anyway. It would be no use to tell Bad otherwise, so Skeppy let it happen.

—

He sleeps mostly.

Between catching up on genuine rest that isn’t from the exhaustion of healing powers knocking him out and taking his medicine that knocks him out, Skeppy spends most of his time in bed. He only really gets up to go to the bathroom, otherwise Bad takes care of the rest.

Bad wakes him up when he needs to eat, drink, and take his medicine. They make conversation when Skeppy is actually lucid enough to but otherwise, he nods along to Skeppy’s half coherent rambles. Skeppy hopes he hasn’t said anything too embarrassing, he doesn’t really remember what he talks about.

He just… Talks. Because Bad is here and it makes him feel like himself. Makes him forget any fear he felt before- more and more ready to get back out there every day. Like he’s invincible.

He’s not, obviously. Skeppy continues to learn that no matter how much his power can make him feel like he can’t be touched, there will always be someone who will find a loophole. But for the time being, he feels okay. Light and floaty.

“You’re the best.” Skeppy finds himself giggling one night as Bad serves him dinner. No frozen meals or takeout but homemade. Warm and flavorful and leagues better than anything he’s eaten in a while. “Quit your villainy ‘n come be my butler- I will pay you in gold.”

“I think about it.” Bad tells him, an amused smile on his face. Skeppy wonders what’s so funny.

“You don’t have to be my butler either,” Skeppy tells him, his words slurring together. If the food in front of him weren’t so mouth watering, he probably would’ve passed out by now. “You- you could be like… A restaurant owner. Or- or a Hero, like me! Anything really…” His eyes droop. “Just… Quit the Villain gig.”

“I would if I could.” Bad tells him placatingly. It makes Skeppy’s eyebrows furrow.

“What’s that mean?”

“It means… It’s a little more complicated than that, Diamond.”

“Complicated.” Skeppy spits the word out distastefully. “‘s always complicated… Why’s it got to be complicated?”

“Because-”

“I know, I know,” Skeppy waves him off. “‘m a Hero and you’re a Villain and neither of us can quit. I mean- I could but… I don’t think I’d make much of a Villain.”

Skeppy laughs but Bad doesn’t. He looks almost solemn, which is- it feels wrong.

“The last thing I want is for you to become a Villain.” Bad’s voice is quieter. Wrong, wrong, wrong. “I wouldn’t wish that on you, even if it meant we would be on the same side.”

He’s being serious. He looks sad.

“Bad, are you- are you safe?” Skeppy blurts out.

“What? Yeah, I’m… I’m fine.”

“You don’t-” Skeppy makes a frustrated noise. “You don’t sound fine. Just- tell me! I’ll take care of it!”

“It’s not something you can fix.”

“I’m a Hero, I’m supposed to fix things! Bad-!”

“Diamond.” Bad cuts him off warningly. He turns away from him, arms crossing. “I’m asking you to stay out of it. I got myself into this, I’ll get myself out of it.”

“But-”

“Diamond.” Bad repeats. “I’m serious, I don’t-”

“I want to protect you.” Skeppy blurts out. “And- if you’re in trouble, I want to help. However I can.”

He softens at that. “You already have been. But, if I really need your help, I’ll come to you, okay? Until then, trust me to deal with it. Does that sound fair, Diamond?”

“…Skeppy.”

Bad blinks. “Huh?”

“Not Diamond.” He mumbles. “Skeppy. Call me Skeppy.”

Bad’s eyes get impossibly big. “Oh- no, no, I couldn’t!”

“I want you to.”

He hesitates but carefully tests it out. “Okay, Sk- Skeppy. Uh. I should refill your water.”

Bad scoops up the cup by his bedside and turns to leave but Skeppy manages to grab his sleeve before he can.

“Stay.” It comes out more of a whine than he meant it to but it still stalls Bad nonetheless. “You’ve been taking such good care of me- stayyyy.”

He pats the spot next to him on the bed. Bad hesitates but joins him, climbing into the spot next to him.

Skeppy finishes his meal quickly before putting it aside and snuggling up to Bad’s side. A hand runs through his hair and Skeppy could pass out on the spot from that alone if he wasn’t careful.

“I’ll have to go for a little while soon.” Bad tells him. “I’ve been checking in and out while you’ve been sleeping but I don’t want them to get suspicious and catch on. I’m kinda risking a lot just by being here.”

“‘s not fair.” Skeppy grumbles.

Bad laughs a little. “I can come back later.”

“They don’t deserve you.” Skeppy finds himself drifting but still clings to Bad. “They don’t see what I see.”

Bad stops at that. “What do you see?”

“Someone who deserves the world.”

Skeppy drifts off before he sees how Bad responds.

In the morning, Skeppy awakens to an empty bed. However, there’s a note left where his plate once was and Skeppy doesn’t have to read it to already feel warm inside.