Work Text:
3 years earlier
Gem was watching across the buildings high above the city. The full moon and the dim lights were her only light. Abruptly she was tackled by someone the night abruptly becoming much brighter with the blazing heat of a fire.
Without missing a beat Gem twisted from her attacker's grasp. She punched him across the face and kicked him away. Jumping back, Gem takes in who her attacker was.
Cipher, a blaze hybrid and a pain in the neck to fight due to his tail and powers. His hair blazed lighting up the roof. His tail lashed behind him as he prepared to attack.
Gem launched at Cipher first, swiping his legs out from under him. Cipher's tail latches onto Gem's right leg and drags her down with him, heat licked at her leg. It didn't cause any burns but it made her seem like her leg was on fire.
They had to be here soon. The plan was simple: get in, steal what they needed, get out. Gem was on watch because the others' powers were more offensive and useful in this situation.
She also suspected that Moon had made sure she was away for most of the heist because of her and Gem's situation the night before planning. The other had avoided Gem for the days leading up to it as well.
Where were they?
Gem landed a hit on the hero's side managing to disarm him enough to wriggle out from under him. She didn’t know how long it would take for her team or Cipher's team to get to the fight, and she didn’t want to get stuck alone with three heroes.
Cipher backed up and glanced over his shoulder, his golden teardrop earring shimmering in the light of his hair. The Fawn was about to reengage when she heard footsteps pounding against the roof behind her.
Whirling around Gem held up her arms and blocked the blow from Glitch the second of the three. His brown hair was tussled and his yellow and purple jacket was tied around his waist. Narrowing his eyes, Glitch was leaning more on his right foot and had a cut on his left cheek. His axe was also missing.
Two against one. It was gonna be harder to get out of this but Gem could manage. The good thing was that Glitch already was pretty beat up so that made it a lot easier to wriggle away. Gem rolled her arms back and grinned. She launched herself at Glitch without further hesitation.
Blocking her attack the hero grabbed her wrist and tackled her to the ground with an unusually rough defiance. Gem grunted and struggled to get up, blood trickling against her leg.
“Stay down. Fighting will just make this more painful” Cipher hissed from above her. The light of his fire was almost blinding.
“Glitch, Cipher. I’ve lost track of the other two. What's your position?” Circuit's voice crackled from the watches both heroes wore.
“Plague has been apprehended.”
“On my way.”
Gem couldn't give up now. She had to get out of this the others needed her. She had to get back to them. They were counting on her. If she got captured then she wouldn't see them again. The Fawn tried to kick at Glitch but the Hero wouldn't budge.
Cipher's tail passed her vision as he paced the building waiting for the third. Gems' breaths became more shallow as the adrenaline of the fight started to wear off. Eventually she went limp under Glitch unable to keep fighting with her already bruised body.
Cipher cursed above her and Gem felt the heat intensify a blaze of fire blocking what was left in her line of sight.
“Plague!” That voice was something Gem heard everyday without fail. Sweet and worried.
“Get off of her!” The next voice was more aggressive and feminine.
There was a scuffle around Gem and the fire burned brighter creating white spots in her vision. Warmth seared across Gems body consuming her skin. Gem hissed and tried to wriggle away from the Hero.
A few shouts were exchanged and only one really was picked out. The voice panicked and strained as Gem's teammate said it.
“I promise we are going to get you out of this! Just hold on, we will save you I promise!” Gem heard retreating footsteps before Glitch hauled her up to her feet and cuffing her. All three Automater's were there. Just her luck
Circuit had a few recent cuts on his usually snow white wings. His costume and coal black hair was ruffled. His breaths came in quick bursts indicating quite the fight had just transpired between Gem’s team and his.
Gem struggled against the cuffs but the metal only bit into her skin cold and foreboding. Cipher strides closer the fire on his tail and head calming back down to a warm orange and golden yellow.
“I can’t believe we got one of you, and the one with healing powers as well. This is a good day for the Agency.” The Blaze hybrid took Gem’s chin in his hands and narrowed his eyes at her before roughly taking his hands back and looking at the towering Agency building. "Well we better bring her in. The Oracle will be pleased."
The starry night provided little light for Gem to see the shadow in front of her. Her mask helped with that though, she could clearly see the blood red cape and shining blades she was following charging across the buildings. The chains on her mask brushing against her skin, cold and familiar.
The figure stopped and turned around to face the hero cape fluttering in the wind giving the impression of moth wings. Gem panted skidding to a stop in front of Moth, one of the most famous villains in Hermitopia. Her long fluffy oak colored hair was and pointed grey wolf ears were a familiar sight to Gem.
Hermitopia spread out under them some apartments still shining with lights, the river that cut the city in half sparkling in the moonlight. It was beautiful. Gem always admired how organic the city felt with bushes, trees, and other plants scattered across buildings and streets.
“End of the line, darling.” Moth called out, the voice modulator on her neck making the words sound sickly sweet, something that Gem had grown to hate over the years she’s heard it.
“I should be saying that to you, villain.” Gem tossed back, it was a delicate routine, talking to Moth, it took years to get to know the villain enough to be able to get words out of her in confrontations like this.
Steadying the spear in her hands, Gems' ears folded back as she prepared to fight. Raising sickle blade at Gem, Moth’s mouth ever so slightly crinkled in a way to suggest smiling. She crouched down, ears folding back before launching herself at Gem initiating a fight.
They spared in a tenuous dance as always, Gem never tried to hurt the villain too severely, and it seemed tonight Moth was doing the same, holding back hits that could have easily given her the upper hand.
Gem’s mind spiraled into possibilities for this, could she be hurt? Was she trying to distract Gem so her teammates could jump her? What was causing this? Gem shook off her thoughts with a slice of her blade right below Moth’s knee.
The villain hissed and bared her teeth, sharp and painful, experience told Gem that. Backing up, Moth's ears folded down and her hand went to the cut on her leg which already had blood dripping down in rivulets. Gem rolled her shoulders back and planted her feet to the ground.
If Moth was here Empress, and Songbird would soon follow, if her team wasn't able to hold them off. Moth glared at Gem pulling her hand away, it was coated in blood. She shook it off and slipped into a fighting stance with a small growl.
“You done already?” Gem teased, she recognized the way Moth’s shoulders slumped, the Werewolf was exhausted.
“No.” Was her terse reply.
Instead of engaging again Moth slowly backed off her eyes darting over to Gem’s left. The hero kept her gaze on Moth, it didn’t take a genius to know that she was simply trying to get Gems' gaze away from her so the villain could attack.
Gem was wrong.
The Fawn was tackled to the ground in a flurry of feathers. Gem let out a shout and kneed the attacker in the stomach, he let out a grunt and lost his grip giving Gem the upper hand to disentangle herself and slit the villain on his arm.
Songbird stumbled back, he was Moth’s teammate and the very annoying power of a Siren, though his soft yellow Canary wings suggested otherwise. His costume was already scuffed up with several rips on the black fabric.
"Where's the last one? Is she still tangled with my team?” Gem quipped, a grin slipping across her face.
“If anything she’s making your team regret fighting her.” Songbird snapped back. He was always quite defensive of his team.
Gem looked over to where Moth is, or where she was, the other villain had disappeared cursing under her breath she looked back to Songbird, he was gone as well. That caused the Fawn to curse some more and retract her blade into a smaller knife that she could slip into its holder on her leg.
Huffing Gem looked around and saw a lithe figure careening towards her from across the buildings. The grey ears, and fluffy tail made her heart stop for a moment until she realized it was her own teammate, Etho or as most people know him by, Fox.
He skids to a stop in front of her, not even out of breath. He was the most competent of her team and was the kindest to her. The fox hybrid approached her and let his hands fall on her shoulders, eyes worried.
“What's wrong?” He noted, his ears twitching.
“Nothing,” Gem glanced away and shifted out of his grip.
“What's. Wrong.” It was more of a command than a ask.
Gem opened and closed her mouth searching for the words. The hero was saved from saying anything from the obnoxious pestering of her other two teammates. Joel or Mantais was one of the loudest people Gem knew but he made up for it with his fighting skills and slightly higher competence.
Bdubs or Mushroom, was somehow louder than the other and didn't seem to have much control over his plant powers even though he went through the same training as Etho and the latter has complete control.
Grinning Bdubs took his place by Ethos' side, his head only meeting the hybrid's shoulder. Joel hung back surveying where they came from.
“It was absolutely your fault that she got away.” Bdubs hissed, tossing a glare back at Joel.
“Absolutely not, you distracted me enough for her to get the upper hand and escape.” Joel stalked over his antenna curled into little spirals giving away his anger even though he was trying his best to speak calmly to the other.
Huffing Bdubs spun around and jabbed him in the chest. “Empress had the upper hand the entire fight. Don’t pretend otherwise!”
Void she hated when those other two fought, it took forever to calm them both down and Gem always left Etho to deal with them. Although Gem was quite level headed and had a high annoyance tolerance she drew the line at their useless bickering.
“I’m going back to the agency!” She called, rolling her eyes and turning towards the building that towered high above the city, it could be seen from everywhere. Threatening to those who brought unrest to hermitopia. It was a symbol of protection, intimidating and alluring.
Gem hated the flashiness of it, the sparkling of the metals that made it up the building, the whole gaudy and grandness of it. The Agency was always something that made Gem uneasy, and that will probably continue for the rest of the time she worked there.
The sparkling metal building also clashed horribly with what Gem loved most about the city. The lush gardens and plants only appeared after a few blocks away from the tower. The only sparks of green in the building were the fake trees and plants inside of it.
Setting off the Fawn pushed past Etho and dashed towards it, leaving the fox hybrid to deal with the other two.
Stepping into her apartment Gem sighed as she hung her coat on its holder. Everything was quiet, too quiet. The door closed with a snick behind her. She looked around, everything was in order, nothing in her kitchen or sitting room was astray.
Unable to deal with the silence Gem turned on the news and let it fade into background noise, she had witnessed the events they were retelling so it was a good way to give a little life to her surroundings while not being too distracting.
Approaching the kitchen, Gem started making a small yogurt parfait. After fighting it always took an hour to two for Gems’ nerves to finally calm down enough for sleep so eating or making something always helped.
That was why Gem had various uncompleted projects around the apartment waiting to be completed when she had the motivation. She wandered over to the couch and curled up and started eating her snack, only half paying attention to the TV.
“You should be careful of having that much sugar, you might not be able to sleep tonight.” A voice teased from her window.
Gem jumped, nearly spilling her food. The Fawns' feet naturally slipped into a fighting stance as she shot off the couch and whirled towards the window. She took in the image in front of her, Moth was leaning into Gem's apartment from the fire escape, her eyes sparkling with an intention, costume still hugging her skin.
“What are you doing here!?” Gem hissed, ears folding back as she dropped the parfait onto the coffee table. Moth slipped into the house shutting the window behind her.
“I thought I’d pay my favorite hero a visit." She said, eyebrows raising. Never quite meeting Gems eyes. A sickle blade twirling in her calloused hands.
Moth took a step towards her eyes half lidded and hair messy from running. Unmoving Gem narrowed her eyes.
“That doesn't answer my question.”
“Ah, but it does, I mean who wouldn't want to see you?" Moth's dark blue eyes followed Gem as the hero stride over to her.
“Coming here was a mistake” Crossing her arms over her chest the Fawn stopped less than a foot in front of the villain.
“Aww, it’s really cute for you to be making threats, I could easily bet you if we got into a fight right now I don’t even need my blades. I just have to….” Moth trails off sheathing her blade and reaching up her hand to rest on Gem's collarbone, warm fingers wrapping around her neck.
Something switches in the way the villain carried herself, something more dangerous rising to the surface. A glint in her eyes, the way she seemed so careful not to really hurt Gem but still giving her the knowledge that the slightest movement could.
The room grew smaller with the knowledge, the air stuffier. Her arms went uselessly to her sides as she twitched in the villains grasp She didn’t know the cause for this only that she did feel safe enough in Moth’s hands to know she wouldn't get hurt.
Gems breath caught in her throat, eyes darting to Moths well built arms and hands. Tilting her head Moth’s ears twitched and Gem could hear the soft swish of fur against fabric. The Werewolf slowly led Gem to the wall, her grip tightening. Soon the Fawn was pinned. Nowhere to run.
“Tell me Little Deer, do you feel safe now?” Gem’s right hand went to defend herself but Moth easily pinned it to the wall, Gem's other hand was wrapped around the villain's arm in an attempt to get Moth off her.
Gem squirmed under her grip a hiss escaping her teeth.
“M-my friend is coming over soon, because I invited them for a late night talk. It’s something they need.” Fumbling for an excuse Gem twisted again, something, anything to get out of this position.
This position that reminded her of- no she shut that train of thought off immediately she couldn’t think about that now she couldn't, it would compromise her already horrible situation.
“Liar.” Moth's grip tightened just slightly enough to give her a warning. “I don’t know why you always lie to me, it never works.”
“Not lying.” The hero choked out. Flinching away from how close the other's face was.
“I always know when you're lying. The slight twitch of your ears, or the way you can never seem to make eye contact.” Moth continued, her diamond blue eyes studying Gems finicky movements.
The room fell silent, the only sound was the sound of some ad playing on the TV. The two stare at each other in the room charged with energy that Gem couldn't quite place. Seconds tick by, in a way that it seems the world had stopped just to take in the moment between them.
Moth releases Gem, backing up and settling onto her couch, shifting back into her usual laid back persona. Taking a moment to catch her breath Gem approached the Werewolf cautiously, like she could get pounced on at any moment.
“I need you to heal my leg,” Was her next sentence leaning over to unwrap the dirty bandages she had already secured onto her leg.
“I-What?” Shocked, Gem stepped back, her eyebrows creasing. A huff came from the other.
“I said what I meant, my leg has been killing me, you really got me good.” A small crinkle of Moth's cheek was all Gem needed to know that the other was smiling even with her mask on. Gem slowly lowered herself onto the couch next to Moth. The other reacted immediately, swinging her injured leg on Gems lap.
“Fix it.” She demanded crossing her arms against her chest.
Gem froze her eyes widening and pulse quickening. Moth was close. Too close. She should be this close. Last time she was this close it ended horribly for the both of them.
Without further ceremony Gem reached over and rested her hands on Moth's leg. Why was she doing this? On one hand Moth was a villain, she shouldn't be using her powers to help her. It was most likely super illegal. She also wasn't supposed to be this close to the other.
On the other hand Gems instinct also told her that if she didn’t comply, something much worse than a leg injury would be her fate and she needed to be in her best condition for the Agency.
Even though her powers are centered around healing, they only speed up the process on her body instead of the immediately healing injuries like how it happened on others. Sighing a soft gold glow spread across Gem's hands and Moth’s leg. Warmth flowed through the Fawns body making a home in her chest.
Moth sucks in a breath, her eyes widening as she stares at the wound stitching itself together, becoming part of her flawless skin, shown through the hole in Moth's pants, once again.
The glow subsides after a handful of seconds as Moth’s wound heals, but Gem keeps her hands on the other's leg, fingers bunching up the thin fabric. looking up to meet the villain's surprised gaze.
The room is charged again with an energy separate from powers. Their eyes lock and Gem can feel the heat in Moth’s gaze. Moth’s lips part her ears folding down and a small blush creeping up her cheeks.
“Will that be all?” Gems eye brows raise.
“Y-yes” Moth jerks her leg back and stumbles over to the window, yanking it open, the Werewolf flees into the night her cape fluttering behind her. Gem rushes to the window and looks out at the retreating figure, shadows consuming the villain's body.
Something in Gem shifted, a fluttering of the heart that shouldn’t be there. An ache that the hero couldn't place. Her mind was reeling and a small headache was forming on her temple.
What just happened?
That was the thought that kept coming back.
She healed the villain and didn’t get so much as a thank you, she just fled. Looking around Gem saw a piece of fabric discarded on the fire escape. Reaching down to pick it up she shut the window and retreated into her apartment dropping heavily onto the couch.
Gem threaded the blood red fabric in her fingers and it smelled like Moth, like Rosemary and Lemon. She set the fabric down and sunk lower into the couch curling up against the arm rest. How the heck did she manage to get into this situation?
She let her thoughts spiral for a moment longer while finishing the Parfait. How? How? How did she let this happen? Why did Moth just show up like that? She eventually went back to the kitchen and dropped the cup in the sink with more questions circling her mind.
Hauling herself to her room Gem tugged on pajamas and dropped into bed. Unsurprisingly when she tried to settle into bed she couldn't sleep. The thoughts circling her mind kept her up longer than she wanted.
She twisted in her bed, her hands continuously going up to brush against her neck where Moth had touched her. Gem curls up on her side clutching her hands to her chest. Why was she acting like this?
Moth was in the past, there was nothing between them.
Moth was someone who didn’t deserve Gems time.
She was a villain for voids sake.
She shouldn't have this much control over the hero.
Gem shouldn't think about her this much.
Somehow after only a handful of hours of sleep. Gem dragged herself out of bed and over to her phone, she wouldn't be able to go to her job today. Gem was exhausted. Calling in sick, she flopped down into her bed and called Scott. He picked up after three rings.
“Hey!” The other's bright voice was glaring to her otherwise melancholy emotions that were battling it out in her mind.
“Scott, I need to talk to you.”
“Oh, Gem, what's going on? What happened?” His voice wasn’t prying but it was insistent.
“I might ha- I messed up.” Gem pulled herself from her bed, her stomach begging for food.
“Gem-”
“Just listen. Please. Some-” Gem took a deep breath. “Someone, may or may not have broken into my apartment last night. That certain someone may or may not have threatened me into healing their wound and I may or may not have healed said wound.”
There was silence on the other end of the phone, and Gem worried that the other had hung up.
“Well I wasn’t expecting you to say that but what can I do to help? No dumb question. Let's try this instead, who is this someone?”
Gem opens the fridge and grabs two eggs and sets up a frying pan.
“You’ve paused.”
“Counterpoint, breakfast. And I can’t say anything about who that someone is.”
Scott paused on the other side and she could practically see his eyebrows furrowed in concentration, his pointed ears tilted back.
“Was this potential person a villain?”
“NO. No, absolutely not!” The moment the words left Gem's mouth she knew Scott would know exactly what had happened and who Gem was referring to. But instead of chiding her about what happened his voice went lower and more worried.
“Gem. Listen to me.” She could hear the eggs popping on the stove. “I’m at work right now. I will call Cleo and they will pick you up as soon as she can. Get your stuff and meet them at your apartment door as soon as they arrive. Okay. Cleo will bring you to our house and you can stay there till we figure something out. Okay.”
“But-”
“No, don’t say anything, because I know you're just gonna argue. Just listen. You need to get out of there so Moth can’t find you. Okay?”
“Okay, can you text them? I’ll get my stuff ready.” Gem sighs
“Yes, we will figure this out.”
There was a pause as Gem scraped the eggs off the pan and onto a plate.
“Cleo will be there in 20 minutes. Be ready.”
“Okay”