Building Better Worlds - Chapter 1

This fic is rated Mature.

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**1: The Lost Puppy**

A rainy evening it seemed to be. Everything dark and dull, her hair soaked through and clinging to her face and back. But at least she was done for the evening, her mind focused on getting home after a tiresome day. She was scratched up a little bit, but in all honesty the opponent she faced today was no where near as powerful as others she had battled in the past.

Midnight walked down the street with very little light at all. Her cat eyes allowed her to see clearly in the night, so there was nothing to worry about there. Her Bavarium lights were all off to save energy and not to disturb any of the people living in these houses.

Her flat was just at the end of the road, and while she'd much prefer to be in Medici, London was more convenient for her after today's events.

She continued to walk, for the most part minding her own business. Which was easy, considering there was no one else out around these parts at this hour. Though it wasn't particularly late, but it was still late. Late enough to be known as the hour when people should be asleep.

Apart from if your name is Midnight.

Something made her ears flicker and twitch around. A sound. One not made by herself. Footsteps perhaps?

She wasn't sure.

She saw no one however, and thought herself going mad. *But you already are mad Midnight, you fight people for a living.*

She continued to walk on anyway, the comfort of her tiny London flat was not too far away now.

Wait.... Where those.... Sobs? That's honestly odd. Though in her line of work not uncommon. Perhaps someone had got caught up in the crossfire, and Ladybug's power had missed them when cleaning the scene. It's unlikely but it is still possible.

As she walked on the sobs sounded louder and louder to her cat ears. She looked up and spotted a dark, shaking, shadowy figure on the other side of the road, out of the corner of her eye.

The source of the sobs.

Completely heartbroken sobs.

No, perhaps more than heartbroken. They had their heart ripped out and stamped on, it sounded like.

It took a moment for her brain to kick in to the helpful and friendly gear, and she slowly approached the figure.

The person must have heard her footsteps, because they attempted to calm themselves before she got close enough.

Midnight knew better, however. Whoever this person was, they needed help. And as a protector, it was in her job description to help those in need.

She stood in front of them, noticing their trembling, their internal cursing for attracting attention to themselves.

"Hey," She started slowly, softly. "Are you... Are you OK?" *Obviously they're not, idiot.* She cursed herself at the stupid question that slipped her mouth on autopilot.

The figure shook their head, wiping away tears from their face. Which looked... Bruised.

"Do... Do you wanna tell me what happened?" *Probably not, you're just some stranger that's emerged from the night, they could think you're some kind of killer. **Well that's not too far from the truth.***

Shaky breaths on their part. Trying to calm down it seemed. "I... S-she... We... U-uhm..." He spoke with a shaky London accent.

"It's OK. Take your time." She encouraged as gently as she could.

A deep breath.

"I.... I l-left..." swallow, "I left her... J-just ran out... I'd had en... Enough..." And then he whispered, but Midnight's ears caught it: "She hurt me... In... I-In more ways than... One..."

Red flags go up in Midnight's head. All she wants to do is hold him and tell him things will get better, and her hand moves to do so, but she stops herself. The last thing he needs is to be touched right now after being attacked. She flicked her Bavarium lights back on, and scanned him quickly.

Bruises. Cuts. Scratches.

One woman was capable of this? With no weapons? Blimey.

Midnight didn't dare pry for details, it was none of her business. To this guy she is but a stranger, someone who happened to catch him in a time of need.

With her lights now on she could get a better look at him. He has a tall and lanky frame, though looks quite small with his back hunched over to look at Midnight.

And his eyes.

God his crystal blue eyes. So delicate, so.... Fractured. Those eyes haven't seen peace for a long time. Midnight knew the look well, all her friends had gone through a phase of having the same glint in their eyes.

He sniffles.

"OK, uhm... Maybe we should... Patch you up perhaps? Treat your injuries?"

There is a pause as he seems to think it over, taking his eyes away from her and on to his feet.

He was also freezing cold due to the rain. This guy just needed some TLC, something it seemed he had been deprived of.

He nods in response to her question.

"OK... OK uhm... My flat is just down the road... We could go there?" Midnight suggests. *He isn't going to go with you.* "... Just to you know... Patch you up? Perhaps stay the night if you need? I really don't mind..." *Quit rambling Midnight.*

"I-I.... Y-yeah... OK..." He nods slowly, sounding slightly unsure.

*He must really be out of options to accept help from some random from the street. **Oh my god will you shut up?** No. This is a terrible idea. I can't believe he's agreeing to it.*

"OK... OK..." She said quietly, leading the way, her hand out behind her as though guiding him, but he did not take it.

Midnight fiddled with her keys when she reached the door to her building, her little shadow waiting behind her.

Why exactly was he trusting her? He shouldn't trust people he just met. Especially not after how badly he was treated by someone he thought he loved, and thought loved him back. But now the truth was out, wasn't it? And here he stood behind some almost extraterrestrial like being, putting enough trust in to her to help him. To try and start the healing process. Something he had been looking for, for a long time.

Finally Midnight got the door open, and he continued to follow her like a lost puppy. His hair dripped with water. His senses seemed to be wavering. His body cried out for sleep...

Another door. But access to this one was granted quicker than the last.

Midnight flicked on a bunch of lights and told her "lost puppy" to get comfortable on the sofa as she went to fetch her first aid kit.

He complied, removing his soaked shirt before lying down. The small multiple bruises from the beating he took this evening seemed to shimmer in the artificial light. Of course there were older bruises that had gone untreated, left to just ache. He looked over the scratches she had left on his arms as she let her nails penetrate his skin. He was such a mess.

The stranger's act of kindness towards him has not gone unnoticed in his head however. Someone who just happened to be wondering the streets at the same time as him had extended their arms out to him.

Midnight returned with her first aid kit, and though she saw it on her scans, she was still shocked at the various bruises and cuts that littered over his torso. Some fairly recent, some more days old. So this must have been going on long before he decided he was strong enough to leave her.

Midnight didn't question that aspect of things, affirming in her head that it is none of her business once again.

She set to treating his injuries.

"This is probably going to sting a little, OK?" She warned. She in no way wanted to cause this man any more pain.

He simply nodded, whimpering slightly.

He whimpered and seethed throughout the process of being patched up.

Unfortunately she had nothing to bandage the bruise on his cheekbone with.

It was while she bandaged him up that she noticed his features. From an artist's point of view, he was rather good looking. Though his hair was an awful mess.

"Is there anywhere I've missed?" Midnight asks.

He points to his thighs. *You should know this Midnight, you scanned him.*

"OK uhm..." A blush kreeped over her cheeks slightly.

He didn't seem to care though, dropping his jeans so the bruises became visible.

OK....

A rather awkward silence followed as Midnight set to bandaging up his thighs.

"Anywhere else, or are we done?" Midnight asked once again.

"... My brain is scarred, but I guess you can't fix that." He said quietly.

Midnight shook her head. "Unfortunately I cannot... But I know people who can." She smiled.

There was silence for a while.

A comfortable silence.

A safe silence.

He was finally away from her, away from her torment, away from what he thought was love.

Midnight broke the silence after a while. "I suppose you left in such a rush that all your stuff is still where she is, huh?"

He nodded in response.

"I can go and get it for you if you want..." Midnight suggested.

He shook his head. "No. Don't... Don't put yourself in danger for me."

Night narrowed her eyebrows at him. "It's no problem, really, I can handle some bitch who thinks she's good at throwing a few punches."

Still he shook his head. "Please just leave it. I'll get one of my friends to go with me tomorrow."

"OK but... The offer will be there tomorrow too, OK? Believe me, you haven't seen me pissed off and what this woman has done to you has boiled my blood." She all but spat the last few words of her sentence.

"... But you don't even know me?" He looked at her with those tired eyes.

"I know enough to know that you didn't deserve what she did to you. I know enough to know that it makes me lose faith in humanity that someone who is supposed to love you can hurt you like this. I know enough to know that it is my job to protect the innocent and bring the guilty to justice." Her ears folded back. He simply shrugged.

"Listen, you've just got someone powerful on your side. Use me to your advantage. I will not stand to see that woman get away with what she's done to you, and possibly move on to do it to someone else."

"... Why do you care so much?"

"It's my job." She shrugged. "And you just look like you need someone to look after you for a while. Help you fix yourself."

"I have friends for that." He scoffed slightly.

Midnight shrugged again. "You can add me to that list of friends."

He then turned to her, a hint of gratefulness in his eyes. Still he looked exhausted, but at least he had stopped trembling and sobbing.

"... You're going to need something to wear..." She bit her lip. "Hold on a second."

Gentle Bavarium swirls encircled him, causing his body to glow. He looks confused. More confused as to why the swirls haven't harmed him. Midnight concentrates really hard and... Poof! Something that isn't soaking wet and suitable sleepwear appeared over him and his scars. Needless to say, the "lost puppy" is shocked at what just happened. "... Wha... What did you do?"

Midnight clears her throat. "Just a clothing spell." She shrugged.

"... Spell?" He asks as she performs the same process on herself. "... What are you?"

She gives him a smirk, her signature expression. "I'm what the kids call a superhero."

"No way. No. No way!"

She cracks her knuckles. "Bavarium is my power. Runs through my suit and probably through my veins. Very convenient is Bavarium. Very convenient indeed."

It seems to be now that he comments on her ears and tail. "Are those... Real?"

"As real as they get. Cat ears, tail, eyes, retractable nails and/or claws, complete with markings under my eyes." She smirks.

"... And you... Helped me? ... Why?" He questioned.

"Because I'm a protector. I'd just come off my shift and I saw you, broken... Needing help... Needing some kindness... So I gave it to you..." She shrugged, looking away from his gaze.

There was now a pause.

After a while, a quiet "Thank you." came from him.

"No problem. Now you look like you haven't slept in weeks. I'll take the couch and you can sleep in my bed."

Immediately he protested that, "What? No! This is your house. I'll take the sofa and you can have your bed..." He trailed off slightly.

"Buddy. I am not arguing with you. You're hurt. I am not. You need somewhere more comfortable than a sofa. I insist you take the bed."

He opened his mouth ready to argue, but shut it after he realised it made sense. He nodded in agreement with her.

Midnight nodded back, and lead him to his sleeping quarters for the night.

"This room is protected." Midnight starts. "I can't have my enemies bursting in to my bedroom to try and kill me at night, so I have reinforced everything with Bavarium. You're more than safe from her here." She smiles.

He mumbles another thank you before settling down in to the bed, the weight of his eyelids too much to bare as he closes them instantly. Some peace at last, it seems.

Midnight smiled at her accomplishment. She quickly went in to her wardrobe for spare bed clothes, and then left him alone. He seemed to already be snoring as she shut the door carefully behind her.

She set about sorting herself out for the night, turning off lights and making her temporary bed.

It only strikes her before she drifts to sleep that they hadn't exchanged names.

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