- close addiction -

~Cleoi, Oxzy's apartment~

Milo dropped the hero off near Parrway, and by the time he drove off, Oxzy had made it to his apartment with steady and broken steps. Landing safely in his apartment, Oxzy made his way to his room, not even bothering to change or clean off all the blood and dirt from his body, he dropped onto the bed. Landing as softly as he could, he cried out a little in pain. Even with all the broken and open skin on him, Oxzy made himself as comfortable as he could on the mattress.

Everything hurt. It wasn't the first time Oxzy was left in pieces after a fight, and not gonna be the last. He tried to lay still, ignoring the stinging and pulling on his skin every time he sucked in a breath of air. Sleeping it off wont help and he knows that, but it will give him the needed energy to heal. As long as the villain stays calm and doesn't do anything, Oxzy can take the time to heal and get better.

He must endure the pain, so he lays still on the now bloody mattress.

A small padding came from behind the hero, the padding was followed by a dip in the mattress in front of him. Opening his eyes, Cirilla May sat in front of his face, leaning her back to peer at her human.

"Mh.." Oxzy managed a small smile, being too hurt to pet the creature, his smile faded lightly. The cat gave small meows for attention, but the hero closed his eyes in response.

Seeing how her owner had no energy to move and give the attention she was craving, Cirilla May padded over, leaning her head against Oxzys frizzy and dust soaked hair. She didn't seem to mind, rubbing and purring through her throat before seating her small furry body on the right of the hero. Curling up into a ball to get comfortable, the cat let her warmth seep to her owner who stayed motionless.

~The Grubs, Pierce's home~

It was dark and cold in the home that smelt of meth. Pierce was slumped on a ripped mattress in an empty but livable living room. He sighed in frustration, feeling boredom and anger rise inside him. He was extremely angry at the outcome of his job.

Yes he did manage to get the job done, only earning him a blazed shoulder and a wounded ego. He wanted so badly to crush the sheriff Milo for running his play with the hero. If only he did it, he just couldn't stop the thoughts on what to do to him.

The villain was somewhat indecisive on how he kills his victims. It usually portrays what the victim did or how he viewed them. He never even batted an eye to Milo before, but now, he wanted to kill him just to get in the way of him and Oxzy.

No one had the right to do that.

He yelled out another frustration, closing his eyes to breathe in. He thought back to the hero on the ground. Thinking about how vulnerable he was in that state. Pierce had been the only one to see Oxzy in such a state, the only one to be able to do such a thing. His lips curled up, his eyes sliding down with a bright feeling of excitement running through him.

He was a very disturbed man. The years of killing and power burning probably made it worse.

But what did make it worse was losing Rosamee.

She was a girl the villain dated all throughout high school and a year into adulthood. She was killed in the huge incident that shocked the town, throwing the villain in a frenzy of depression and anger. He took it out on the town and mostly the hero.

She was the girl that kept him in place. Keeping his outbursts and even powers in place so he doesn't go on a rampage and kill everything living in the damned town. But she was killed, destroying every hope of a "normal" life for Pierce.

Now the only thing that seemed to keep the villain on a brink of not losing his sanity was the hero. Stupid and hypocritical, only it was true for some reason. He could keep himself steady and, at a minimum, as long as the hero was there to give him attention.

Everything about the hero excited him. He was addicted to just the thought of Oxzy.

Pierce didn't care if it was dangerous or not. He and Oxzy were the only powerful and capable ones there. Not exactly the safest to say, but they both could protect themselves the most in Whitedail.

While his thoughts fixated on Oxzy, the door to his house opened and a loud and obvious stomping was heard. Pierce didn't bother looking up, already knowing who the intruder was.

"Don't Mercy. I know you have two feet to get your own way back."

"Yeah-" the woman started, coming closer and flopping down on the sofa next to Pierce. "Two feet that are bruised and bent in heels asshole!"

Her words were finished with a fine smack to Pierce's shoulder, he didn't flinch but looked over at her with a smirk. She couldn't help but smirk back, peeling off her shoes and throwing them aside in the littered building. She sighed out in exhaustion as if she ran a mile, but Pierce knew that was not what she did.

It was already dark when she got back, and Pierce got back as quick as a flash. He had transported the guy from the cell to Zellas room. She didn't like it of course, but didn't complain. Pierce always put the people he busted out there for his mother to deal with. He heard shouting and yelling, a few bottles thrown in anger by the mother.

Pierce didn't care. He got the job done and the mother got what she wanted and that was to let her anger out on the man in her business.

The villain looked over to the woman beside him, seeing her bottom lids red. His lips formed a smile. "Got any left?"

Mercy cracked a smile, sitting up and motioning for the villain to do the same. He did, wincing a little for the pain in his shoulder. Mercy could see it, his smile fading and turning into a sneer.

"How the fuck did you get hit?"

"Officer had some balls tonight." the villain replied, shaking away the pain and putting on a joking smile. "Thought he drained them after seeing you."

"Oh shut up and turn." Mercy said, without waiting she purposely turned the villain to herself so that Pierce's shoulder was in her view. He didn't make any move to stop her as she moved his sleeve up to show his bare shoulder. The cut was covered with a messy patch that barely could fit around his shoulder blade.

Mercy couldn't help but give the man and deadpan look. Pierce looked around, showing ignorance to his work. Neither of the two knew anything about the medical field, but Mercy had seen the villain get hurt multiple times that she knows the protocol.

Even if the villain wasn't exactly human and could heal himself, he was still prone to infection and could get sick and weak. Neither of them wanted that, so Mercy took it on herself to make sure it didn't happen.

She came back after a few minutes of scrambling to find useful bandages along with some alcohol he was hiding from his grubby father. Coming back and sitting back in her spot, Mercy took a quick swing of the drink before pouring some on the wound. Pierce hissed at her, giving a small smirk when Mercy mocked at him.

She tied a knot tightly, securing the bandage so it wouldn't fall off his shoulder. She let out a sigh, falling on the back to the sofa. "Should be fine now."

"Was fine to begin with." Pierce replied, he stretched his arm feeling a tight stinging, he let out a small sigh of annoyance at the feeling. He turned back to his friend who was taking another swing from the drink. He leaned back as well, having Mercy give him the drink. They stayed sitting in silence, only the sound of recent sirens and small shouts that were distant could fill the hollow air.

Mercy let out a breath, turning her face to the friend beside her. "How was it?"

"What? Getting shot?" Pierce replied jokingly.

Mercy rolled her eyes, turning to her side to give the man a serious but playful look. "I mean how was seeing Oxzy? The great hero was injured wasn't he?"

"You watched the whole thing didn't you?" Pierce replied, giving the woman a smirk.

"Nothing else I could do. You left me after Oxzy appeared. I can't help but feel a bit jealous."

Pierce snorted lightly, crossing his arm and taking another drink from the almost empty bottle. "Jealous? You know very well how I view the hero. How I love the thought of him."

"You are mad indeed, I knew that already." She replied, turning her head to the roof that was crumbling away with mold and rot. "You just seem to rely on him."

"Me?" The villain replied in a mocking tone. "Tell that to the creatures who abuse what he gives them. They rely on him more, cause if he weren't here. They would all be dead."

"I am one of those creatures." Mercy replied, a bit of snarkiness in her voice.

"Yeah but a favorite." The villain shot back, keeping his eyes closed with a relaxed expression on his face. Mercy gave him a small sneer in reply, catching her tongue when she was about to reply. She turned her head, feeling stupid when she realized who she was gonna bring up.

Bringing Rosamee into this will only fuel him more. She sighed, leaning on the far side of the sofa, closing her eyes and intending to rest.

Pierce chugged the rest of the bottle. Looking into it when he realized it was all gone. He groaned in annoyance, wanting something to distract him from something that plagued his mind. Only nothing could help him with the incoming thoughts of the hero. Shifting back and forth from his lost girlfriend.

Deciding to ignore it, Pierce stood up and headed to the top floor, laying down on the mattress to look at the sky. The roof was still broken, having a perfect view of the dark calming sky. Pierce closed his eyes when calmness finally took over him.

~Hallway side, near the grubs~

A group of siblings through the ages 33 and 12 made their way past smokers and murders. The two oldest yelled at one another, debating on something the other four didn't seem to care what they fought over.

The oldest, Octavia Imber, let out a sigh of anger, pushing her brother aside and stepping in front of them all. "Let's stop bickering. We already decided to go there, so there is no point."

"You're one to talk!" The second oldest, Corbin Imber, shot back to her, earning a growl in his direction. "I don't want to see that fucking asshole!" He motioned to the bright, big burn on his face, covering his left side and melting his skin together. It has healed, and compared to his older sister, he had the worst burns on his body.

Octavia crossed her arms, covering her burns on both forearms that trail up and down her bright pale skin. She gave a scared look, but covered it with determination. "We have to. I'm sure Pierce got over it long ago, as long as we don't entice him.. We won't be hurt…"

"We shouldn't have to be so worried…" The third oldest, Buck Imber, irritably said. "Why can't he just leave us alone? Why can't he go to his own house and stop staying with mother and father so we don't have to see him every month!" He yelled the rest out in frustration, earning a few giggles from the two youngest.

Kinsey Imber, she gave a smile at hearing the oldest act so scared. Holding onto her back pack, the 12 year old gave no mind to the trash that covered the ground as she walked further into the most dangerous part of the town.

For her. It was normal. No fear or worry crossed her mind at all the whole time she stayed or stepped foot into the Grubs.

The main reason for no fear is because she knew her older brother was the villain. The most feared man there, she believed she was safe. Because she was. No matter how cruel Pierce was. He didn't hurt her in any way.

Mostly because she was forgotten all the time.

The fifth oldest, Brit Imber, rolled her eyes, giving a light smack to the little girl's head. "Enough Kinsey. Don't entice others." Brit had the young child live with her in the Hallway side of town, close to the Grubs, but not the Grubs. She lived with her and Brits boyfriend, making sure that Kinsey has some sort of normal childhood. Unlike the rest.

The rest kept bickering as they kept walking further and further into the Grubs. Having stares and sneers thrown their way, only one person in the group had a few smiles tossed his way.

Felix Imber, the second youngest, smiled back a bit too warmly.

~The Grubs, Imbers home~

The siblings made it to their parents home, coming in without knocking and setting their things down. Zella was already there, sitting down and putting papers away in messy sorts. Her husband opened his arms in welcome to his children giving the young ones close hugs as the oldest rejected.

"Look how big you got!" He picked Kinsey up, earning a giggle from the little girl. She hugged him back in the same manner, ignoring the smell of alcohol coming from him.

Brit took Kinsey from her father, scolding him. He only laughed out loud, calling her out. Azeral turned to Felix, wrapping his arm around his shoulder. Felix smiled back, grabbing the alcohol from his father. "How have things been here?"

The father let his 24 year old son take a drink from the alcohol. "Things have gotten pretty boring since you have been leaving. Like really? Taking the best men with you?"

"Hey, Pierce didn't want them, so they followed me instead." Felix gave a shrug when responding, giving the drink back.

Azeral couldn't help but laugh out loud. "You're gonna turn out to be a great leader! I mean everyone respects you here, you got that on you." Finishing his sentence, Azeral finished chugging a drink when heading back to his wife in the kitchen.

Felix gave a tugging smile, feeling a familiar slight rise in his chest after his father left. Ignoring it, he came and sat down on a couch in the middle of the living room, turning to the kitchen where his oldest siblings were talking seriously with their mother. Zella gave no mind to her second youngest, talking matter with the oldest like he didn't exist.

So Felix turned to the other side, sitting on the end of the couch was Kinsey and his father. Kinsey was showing the old man a few drawings in her backpack, the father giving all smiles and looking at them closely. Brit sat at the edge, looking at her phone but keeping her body close to Kinsey.

The peaceful and normal atmosphere bore Felix, he leaned on his hand that was on his elbow, hoping for his brother Pierce to come. Like the villain had heard him, the door was pushed open with no arm, forcing it to.

In came Pierce, his hands in pockets looking a bit interested. A bit of light lit up his face when he saw his whole family in the room. Seeing the burns on the oldest siblings made his smile grow more sinister. Both siblings shrinked away, trying to hide behind their mother. Zella gave a slow nod in Pierce's direction, the villain stalked over, leaning on the fridge and looking down at the sprawled papers the family was looking at.

Felix got up, walking over to be a bit close to his brother, Pierce didn't even bat an eye at him.

"You're a bit late, Pierce.." Zella gave a slight glare at his direction, Pierce rolled his eyes.

"Got caught up with something at the police station after getting the junky out." The villain gave a glare back to his mother. "So you can blame yourself." The son almost spit out, causing the room's atmosphere to shift in tension. The father got up, walking from the couch and to the kitchen.

"Hey now.. Let's not get off topic here…" He wrapped his arm around his wife's shoulder, trying to smooth the tension. Lucky for them, Pierce was in a good mood. He dropped the bad tension and gave a smile.

"Continue with the conversation. You wanted all of us here. Right mother?"

Zella coughed, moving the papers and tossing some trash off the counter. "Right.. Right…"

Pierce kept his head low and smile straight. His brother couldn't help but soak into the tension, soak into the scary and intimidation his brother gave off with just a look. He felt no fear like his other family, all he could do was look up in admiration, wanting nothing more than to be just like him.

Be just as cruel. Be just as evil and vile and hated.

If only Pierce would notice him…