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Typical. Typical wear and tear on the uniform. Naturally, that would have accounted to just wearing it every single day, the natural wear of the fabric lining, the quiet breaking of fibers that naturally gave way. No, not for Yoohyeon. She stared down at the wound that was now bleeding and blotching the fabric from the handstitched superhero outfit she had. The city was safe, sure, but the damage that came from it at least no one died… injured maybe, but they were still grateful to have lived. Sure, there were some people that were angry that she used her webs to slingshot a car into the maniacal mad scientist gone villain, but who else was going to do it? Did they really trust the police to do their job? She knew damn well they didn’t, so they had to make a few sacrifices.
The helicopters were loud overhead, news and police. Drones flew by, each one trying to document the aftermath as well as try to get a glimpse of the masked hero that both saved and ruined their city. People both loved and hated her. Unable to choose a true side. One day she was the city hero, the next she was the demolition beast that made everyone’s lives worse. Subways being delayed from various fights, buildings being destroyed from cars being thrown through them… But it wasn’t her fault… She couldn’t always actively catch every single flying car. People she focused on. If it didn’t harm people, she let it happen, if it was going to harm people… then she would do everything in her power to stop it.
But that was the least of her worries. Being a masked hero was one thing, being the masked hero that got caught was another.
The helicopters and drones were fast, some were evasive, but Yoohyeon was faster. Using her own senses, knowing where the drones were behind her, hearing the overhead chopper, all just to hide in plain sight under a billboard for some luxury item that no one could truly afford. They flew passed, scanning the area before they disappeared, leaving her to crawl out from under the little platform, staring at the city upside down for a moment before falling to her feet on the rooftop. A sigh escaped her lips as the adrenaline started to wear off. She just needed to get home.
Swinging through the streets, finding the familiar place she called home. Her own little slice of heaven, far from the entire hustle and bustle of the city, well, not too far, but at least far away enough to give her some peace. She quietly made her way in through an open window, stepping carefully in, foot about to touch the floor when the light flicked on.
“You know better.”
Yoohyeon flinched, seeing Yubin standing in the archway to their living room. Her arms were crossed over her chest, the familiar panda themed pajamas… but she wasn’t thrilled. Wasn’t happy to see that her girlfriend was alive. No. She looked utterly exhausted. The bags under her eyes, how her shoulders slumped forward, the posture of her girlfriend was screaming for sleep, but she wasn’t gifted that luxury whenever Yoohyeon was gone.
“I know…” Yoohyeon mumbled as she made her way onto the ceiling, letting her feet dangle as she forced herself out of the living room and into the entryway. She never heard the end of it when there were dark scuff marks on the walls from her feet. The only place where she could touch with dirty feet. And well, since she was climbing all over the city walls and busy destroying part of the city… She was filthy. Covered in god knows what and especially after a long fight, being thrown into various things, she really didn’t know what she was covered in.
The uniform was shed, a small pile on the floor near the front door, slippers on her feet and wearing simple tank top and shorts. The second it was peeled off of her body, she winced, finally seeing the gashes along her body. Ones she didn’t even know she had. Bruising on her ribs from where she took a streetlight to the gut, the gash from the wrecked car with raggedly slashed metal hanging off it on her arm… Her back even hurt from being flung into a building and hitting the brick wall. Yes, she was granted with a tiny bit of faster healing and being able to withstand just a bit more pain and violence than the normal person, but it still hurt her. Still took time to heal.
“Look at you.” Yubin frowned as she sat Yoohyeon down in the kitchen, already walking down the hall to the bathroom where their more extensive first aid kit was housed. “I can’t believe this.” She continued to mutter under her breath when she came back.
The extensive first aid kit, it wasn’t something they had gotten at first. It was a large bag filled with everything they had compiled over the years. Different cleaning solutions, various bandages of different sizes, gauze, tapes, ointments, everything they could think that could help. It did come in handy often, especially when Yoohyeon came home like this nearly every night.
Yoohyeon let her work, knowing that nothing she would say would make anything better. She had been in worse condition before, unable to move for a few days, her body littered in all kinds of scars that made herself look just a little… Well, in her eyes they were just part of the job. Scars that meant she needed to work on being evasive, being better at protecting herself as well as the city she called home.
“Why do you put yourself in these situations?” Yubin sighed, tweezers in hand with a small cotton ball as she dabbed at the gash on Yoohyeon’s bicep.
“I have to.” Yoohyeon frowned, wincing slightly at the sting that came with the anti-septic solution that the cotton ball was soaked in.
“No, you don’t!” Yubin snapped, throwing the tweezers on the table, cotton ball rolling away with a slight squelch. “You don’t have to go out there and save the city just about every night! You don’t have to be a hero!” She stared at her girlfriend, angered at chosen words.
“Then who will!?” Yoohyeon asked, concern laced in her voice. She stood up, towering over the silver haired woman that stood before her. “I got gifted with these stupid powers that I don’t know how to be normal with!” She had tears in her eyes, looking down at her. “And ever since then, it’s like the world has decided to try and kill everyone in the city and I’m the only one with enough extra everything to help!” She frowned. “Like what the hell is up with these new monsters! I’m not the only one who has, has…” She stared down at her wrists, seeing the newly formed skin, the stupid areas that were once a really, really cool thing to have, to now something she hated.
Yubin’s hands covered her wrists, the anger fading into tired sadness. The two stared at each other, unspoken conversations that were more than enough without being said. Yubin carefully wrapped her arms around Yoohyeon’s waist, letting her head rest on her chest.
“I just… Every single night when you’re out fighting, every single time I see the news during the day and you’re out there fighting… I’m so worried that one day… you won’t come back home. That I’ll see a news report stating you died…” She admitted. “I have so many nightmares that you end up getting killed because you took one too many cars to the face…” She frowned with a sniffle. “I don’t think I could ever handle that.”
Yoohyeon’s eyes shut, running a hand through her short, auburn hair as she let the words wash over her. It was the unfortunate truth that came with the job. She let out a sigh, choosing to hug her girlfriend back, tightly without regard to her new injuries. Wincing, but it was needed. Holding Yubin tightly, letting her know that she wasn’t going anywhere.
“You’re the only person in the world… with something I can’t save.” She sighed. “I can’t take away nightmares… stress… I just can’t.” Yoohyeon admitted. “No matter how much I wish I could, I just… can’t. But I can promise, that I’m working on getting so much better.” She whispered, pressing her lips to the top of Yubin’s head. “I’ve been going to the gym more, working out a bit better, working on sparring. I have less injuries than when I first started.” She explained. “I’m trying to not get hurt nearly as much so I can come home every night to you.” Her hands moved from Yubin’s back to her face, cupping her cheeks to make her look up at her. She saw the tears in her eyes, the small tear trails down her cheeks… She hated being the reason Yubin cried. “I really am.”
“I know.” Yubin whispered. “I just…” Her hands pushed Yoohyeon’s off, needing to be close and hear her heartbeat as she rested her head on her chest again. “I get so scared.”
“I know.” Yoohyeon frowned.
The feeling of being close, the entire lingering feeling of dread, doubt, terror, it was enough to make anyone feel inadequate. Yoohyeon hated that for Yubin. Hated that she was doing this to herself, but it was unfortunately the cost of being with someone like her. Sure, she could’ve kept her powers secret at first, but she just couldn’t help but save people when they were in danger… and now… she was stuck in this vicious cycle of needing to keep her identity hidden, far from the world.
She lifted her up, deciding to carry her to bed, the two of them needing to rest and relax after such a long conversation. When she hit the bed, Yubin fell back, a small laugh escaping her lips before Yoohyeon fell into the bed next to her, wincing slightly while looking at her bandaged arm.
“I could’ve told you that was a bad idea.” Yubin sighed.
“Don’t.” Yoohyeon mumbled.
“Remember that one Christmas… when you had to fist fight a drunk santa because he was swearing at kids?” Yubin asked quietly, watching her smooth out the wrap.
“Yeah! That guy pulled a knife on me!” Yoohyeon gasped. “Like even drunk people know not to fight me!” She frowned. “And then he had the audacity to call the cops on me! They were already there!”
“And when he told the officers that he wanted to speak to the police to make a complaint about some twink in a onesie…” Yubin laughed, watching Yoohyeon roll her eyes. “It was funny, you have to admit it.”
“It was…” Yoohyeon sighed, turning her head to look at Yubin.
“Why can’t all your fights be like that?”
And there it was. The slice that comes with laughing. The harsh grip of reality clinging to Yubin and not letting go.
“Because there are evil scientists out there who are mutating people…” Yoohyeon frowned. “Experimenting on the poor, making them into these hollow shells of the people they used to be… then telling them they have some kind of feud with me…” She sighed. “I don’t even know what I did wrong to be put on their hit list.” She frowned.
“Maybe it’s the whole… you’ll be foiling their plans. So, they hate you for not joining them.” Yubin guessed, watching Yoohyeon shrug her shoulders. “You… wouldn’t turn evil… right?” She asked.
“Never!” Yoohyeon quickly answered. “Never in a million years!” She turned to face Yubin, “turning evil would mean I would literally have to give up every single cell in my body. I can’t do that.” She declared. “I’m not evil at all.”
“I know. You can’t even kill a bug.” Yubin reminded her.
“I’m part bug. Excuse me?” Yoohyeon gasped, feigning complete shock, terror, offense. “Would you squish me?” She demanded to know.
“I would squish you with my arms in a hug, yes.” The shorter of the two laughed.
“I meant like—”
“We are not having this conversation again. You will never in actuality turn into a real spider. And I love you now, half and all.” Yubin reminded, already rubbing her temples. “Okay?”
“I love you too, Yubin.” Yoohyeon smiled,