Chapter Text
I somehow seem to forget how fragile humanity is, Apoc mused to himself, watching from the rooftop down onto the city. He was high enough up in the air for no mortal to distinguish recognisable features. If anything, when his mask lit up like this, they could think he was one of those antennae on a high building to prevent planes from crashing into them at night. He had a perfect vision, keeping track of all humans roaming in the streets this particular night.
He didn’t even know why he bothered to come here at night, when he should be resting. Should he be? He’d been here every night for about two weeks now, no sleep and despite the mortal elements left of his body, he didn’t seem to be in decay because of it. Maybe I’m losing more and more humanity as the days pass?
He hummed at his own thoughts, digging his hands into his pockets to keep the freezing cold from reminding him just how much of his humanity was left. Every night for the past two weeks. Making himself useful in the True World.
He’d been fighting endless battles in Arcadia with the True World blissfully unaware. If only they knew what dimension lived beyond them. They wouldn’t sleep so peacefully. Is that why I don’t sleep?
He ignored himself. The frosty air picked up quite some force, more of a gust than a breeze at this point. The quiet, dark city whistled in the wind, offering an eerie vibe to the scenery. Across from him, one of the construction cranes lay abandoned for tonight, concrete tunnel hanging by a rope. It didn’t seem very safe but who was he to decide that. The concrete tunnel twisted in the wind, swinging side to side ominously.
Chris Adam would be mad about his nightly visits here. Not just because they were stuck in Arcadia whenever Apoc left, but because he didn’t think it was safe to let anyone see him. He wasn’t normal. “They would capture you and put you through experiments like an animal in a cage, don’t you understand?”
As if they’d ever be able to confine me.
A man below in a dress shirt was texting as he walked. Presumably his date just finished and he was either raving about it or complaining about it, but he wasn’t watching where he was going. Apoc sighed and with a flick of his fingers, the man was shoved back onto the sidewalk as a car cut off his path, missing him by a hair. Watch where you’re going, human.
The man stood perplexed, phone dropped to the ground when the car almost hit him. He looked to both sides, blinked as he tried to recognise what drove him backwards. He’d likely chalk it up to fate or a silent force protecting him from harm. Maybe something Godsent, Apoc thought in quiet amusement. He paced the rooftop, stepping down to a slightly lower one that had a bit more of a ridge he could sit behind to stay out of the wind.
The concrete tunnel reached full circle and the crane made a quiet screeching noise. It didn’t sound very safe. For two weeks, he wondered what fascinated him about the True World so much that he came back every night. Maybe he had a craving for the mundane, some sick nostalgic homesick feeling of a home that didn’t exist anymore.
Did it ever? His memories didn’t reach back far enough to recall himself without the mask. Without the powers. Without the enhanced senses. Without Arcadia.
He shook off the thought and jumped off the rooftop into a dark alleyway, the light of his mask dimming to mingle with the shadows. Two men walked out of the bar across, loud voices carrying across the quiet streets.
“Can’t believe she stole your car keys”, one guy said to the other, feeling his pocket. “Damn it! And my phone! I wanted to call for an uber.”
There was a noise behind Apoc. He turned around on high alert to find a famished black cat besides the trash can. The alley was a dead end. No one would sneak up on him. No one but this little fluffy creature. He crouched to scratch the cat behind its ears and received a purring headbutt. So small and easy to please.
The men were long gone by the time he turned around. Apoc gazed out onto the street, eyes drawn to a woman coming from the right across the street. He cocked his head and took her in as she walked. She moved through the night with cautious steps, long blond hair brushing the fabric of her coat. There was a tremor in her hand as she clutched the strap of her bag. She was bundled up for the night in a long coat, snug scarf and practical boots. Nothing too flashy, nothing made to draw eyes and yet everything about her seemed… precise. Every step had an unintentional grace that made him pause in the shadows. Even while she was uneasy about the night, she was a sight to behold. There was something about her existence and he couldn’t put a name to it.
The rope of the concrete tunnel overhead broke and Apoc broke out of his trance, attention snapping to the impending danger. The woman was positioned directly below the falling structure, seemingly freezing on the spot as fear overtook her. She shielded her head with her arms like it would help. He reached out quickly, laser shooting from his fingertips to slow down the fall of the object, letting it thud to the ground far softer than it should, a significant distance away from her. The wind could never cause it to fly that far off course on its way down so she would likely be confused, he realised.
She slowly uncovered her head, looking over her shoulder at the concrete tunnel lying unscathed on the sidewalk. She was puzzled, as expected. Then her eyes trained on the window besides her and she slowly stepped closer to the reflection. Apoc watched her, then found what she was looking at.
She saw him.
In the reflection of the window. She saw the dim light of his mask that began to glow when he slowed the construction piece. She whipped her head to the alley and Apoc mingled with the shadows once more, becoming one with the night as she hesitantly stepped closer.
His heart hammered in his chest when she turned away, seemingly deciding she didn’t want to pursue what she saw.
Close call
His heart raced, a jittery drum beneath his skin. He hadn’t felt this mortal since he dragged himself to the hospital after a lost battle in Arcadia. He nearly bled out then. He found out he could still bleed that day. The nervous energy coursed through his system and he wasn’t sure if it was still related to nearly getting caught or not but the woman resumed her journey and Apoc followed. Just want to make sure she gets home safe.
Sure you do.
He winced at Chris Adam’s voice in his head replying to his own thoughts. Great, now he wasn’t even alone in his inner monologue anymore. She hesitated at the corner, glancing over her shoulder. She was alert but unaware of him. He caught her hazel eyes and she’d never even know it. He couldn’t name the feeling it caused, the weakness in his knees. It was a tightness in his chest, a beat of a drum before the breakdown. He didn’t understand it.
It was like an itch he couldn’t quite scratch, nagging in the back of his head. He stopped dead in his tracks when she reached a front door safely. She didn’t need him to protect her. She was never in any danger to begin with after he saved her. What’s wrong with me?
He hunched his shoulders when the front door closed behind her, effectively shutting him out. The tightness in his chest was previously warm and pleasant, now cold and lost. The feeling was frustratingly confusing, yet not entirely unfamiliar.
Maybe he did need some sleep.
With a subtle shift in reality, he left the True World and returned to Arcadia. Chris Adam, Benjamin and Per were sound asleep in their own beds, oblivious to Apoc’s nightly venture. Even if Apoc didn’t need sleep, he needed to charge the electronic part of him so he plugged in, lay down and shut down the mask, losing himself to a good night’s sleep. One haunted by pretty hazel eyes and a blond fringe framing her face.