The Villain and Hero (A Hermitcraft AU Rewrite)

Aftermath

Bdubs watched his blood on the shower floor dilute and turn pink before it washed away in the drain. He waited until long after the last scarlet drop seeped from his chest to step out of the shower. The image of that woman's face was seared into his mind. What kind of hero can't save someone right in front of them? It was pathetic, really, how bad he was at this. What even gave him the right to call himself a hero?

He scoffed at himself and drew his hands along his chest and arms where small cuts peppered his skin. Somehow, he didn't know how, he could heal himself a bit faster than a normal human. But that took loads of energy that Bdubs couldn't spare. Coupled with the fact he didn't deserve it, Bdubs made the decision to not heal the cuts and instead cleaned and wrapped them with traditional bandages.

Bdubs slid on a pair of athletic shorts and a baggy tee and plopped down on his couch. Tonight was supposed to be a night of celebration. Why did that stupid villain have to come and ruin it? And now he had two villains to worry about. One of whom he could barely fight without... someone dying. Who was he anyway? He just showed up with zero warning. Hmm.

Knock. Knock. Two sharp taps on his balcony door. Bdubs grit his teeth and turned his head over to see the second to last person he liked right now stood. He scowled at the villain and didn't move up from his seat. The balcony door was locked, he made sure of that earlier, so he would have to break in if he wanted to get in. Hopelessly ignoring his problems was working for him so far, so why not a little bit longer.

"Bdubs." His muffled voice floated through the glass. "Please. I just want to talk."

"I told you I didn't want to."

"And I said I would come back when you calmed down."

"I still don't want to talk."

"Too bad."

Bdubs stood up slowly and walked over to his balcony door so that he was looking up to the villain. "You villains think that you can do whatever the h*ll you want. Well, news flash, you can't!" He turned on his heel and began walking back to his couch.

"I have answers to those questions no doubt running through your head."

This made Bdubs pause. Above anything else, he was curious. "Fine, we'll talk. But only on my terms."

"Okay?"

"First, you wear a blindfold."

"Uhh, why?"

"Don't play dumb with me. I've been fighting you for most of my hero career. I know how your hocus pocus works."

"Ha. Fine. What else?"

"Um."

The Mangler smirked. "Is that really all you can think of?"

"No!" The hero paused. "Yes."

The villain chuckled. "The door then?"

"I'm not letting you in my apartment."

"Then how are you gonna blindfold me? I'm not doing it myself."

Bdubs pursed his lips, unlocked the balcony door, and slid it open. The Mangler smiled a little too sweetly and walked into the apartment as if he owned it.

"Don't touch anything."

The villain shrugged and put his hands in his coat pockets. It was only then that Bdubs saw the bandages on his arms. His eyes narrowed as he examined them, and The Mangler followed his gaze.

Bdubs walked over to a cabinet set in his wall and pulled out a fresh bandana. No eye holes, and thus no way to see through. He already knew the fabric was thick enough. When he was first starting out, it was a chore to keep the eye holes in place and the thick fabric often blocked his view. It was quite a while before he was able to put the eye holes in the ideal spot for all comfort, visibility, and anonymity.