Nothing Left to Lose {Prinxiety}

Chapter 7

Virgil's POV

Y'know, you never really get to appreciate the beauty of the city when you're running away from three superheroes. With all the lights on, it's honestly beautiful, who cares if the artificial light basically makes stars impossible to see. If the heroes actually patrol every night, they'll probably notice me, hopefully, maybe. In the meantime, I draw the cityscape because exercise sucks.

Suddenly, someone calls out, "Hey! What are you doing up here?" They shout, scaring the sh!t out of me so much that I literally fall off the roof. The only thing that keeps me from becoming a street pancake is my antigrav boots, pulling me against the wall a couple feet down. I sigh in relief before turning around, seeing a very familiar hero looking over the edge. This may be one of the people I planned to see, but now that it's actually happened, I'd rather become that pancake.

"Hey, Princey," I say, taking a step back, or lower I guess? "Please don't arrest me," I add without thinking.

Popstar pokes his head over the side of the roof too, "Hey kiddo, you wanna get back up here?" He asks. Has he forgotten the whole criminal thing?

"Depends, is he gonna snap me like a toothpick the second I get up there?" I ask, pointing to Princey, whose frown only deepens.

"No," He responds, glancing over at Princey. They step out of sight and I slowly return to the roof, letting gravity take over.

Princey crosses his arms threateningly, "So, what are you doing here, villain? It doesn't seem smart considering the recent stunt you and your teammates pulled," Way to hit a nerve.

"They're not my 'teammates' not anymore anyway," I mumble bitterly.

"What do you mean?" Popstar asks, looking like a confused puppy. Man, I really don't want to talk about this.

"Well, Deceit finally revealed his 'final plans' or whatever, and I didn't agree with him so I kinda sorta sucker punched him," I say, coughing afterward for an excuse to look away.

Popstar looks surprised by the admission, while Princey mumbles more to himself than me, "So that's where he got that bruise..."

"So what are you doing up here, kiddo?" Popstar decides to ask.

"Can't exactly go back to Deceit and Duke, and I was kinda hoping to run into one of you," I answered. Beating around the bush isn't gonna get me anywhere besides the ground or a police holding cell. Popstar tilts his head to the side, and Princey looks back up, "As stupid as it sounds considering less than a day ago we were sworn enemies, I need your help if I'm going to stay alive. And right now, the best way to ensure that is taking the Darksides down."

That certainly shuts them up, for about a minute, "So, are we teaming up then?" Popstar asks excitedly, "Team-up of the century??" He nudges Princey.

"I don't know, can we even trust this guy?" He 'whispers' to Popstar.

"Ouch," I say, trying to cover up how that actually bothered me. I shouldn't care about these pricks' opinions of me, but of course, my anxiety doesn't care about that, "I don't exactly trust you guys either, but I'm willing to try to work together," Unlike some of us, but I decide it's probably safer to not add that part.

"We both want to work together too," Popstar starts.

"Speak for yours-" Princey mumbles before Popstar interrupts him with a hand over his mouth.

"How about you come to our apartment since you need a place to stay?" He suggests, "I promise I won't let my roommates hurt and or arrest you." He raises his right hand in scouts-honor fashion, as if that would reassure me.

As much as those stranger danger talks in school taught me, they probably don't apply to superheroes, right? "Sure..."

"Prove it," Princey states stubbornly.

"What?" I ask, genuinely confused.

"Prove that you want to help take Deceit and Duke down," He clarifies.

Me admitting to punching Janus wasn't enough? "Well, for starters, their real names are Janus and Remus."

Popstar looks at Princey afterwards, who looks almost upset by the name reveal. Instead of responding, Princey just nods and walks off. I guess that proved it? Popstar silently gestures for me to follow him and Princey. O-kay then...

After walking through another block or so before reaching a normal-looking apartment building. This at least means that they aren't kidnapping me, right? "Our other roommate, Delta, should be getting home soon, if he hasn't already. I'll try to let him know about you, but he might have his phone off," Popstar says.

"How reassuring," I respond anxiously as we sneak through the camera-less hallways into the heroes' apartment, "Don't you guys ever go in through the window or anything where you aren't so at risk of being seen?" I ask, acutely aware of how anyone could be looking out there peephole watching us. With that thought, I pull my hood farther down, even with the facemask. If anything, my mask will just make me more recognizable, but I also don't really want to take it off, even if they've already seen my face.

He leads me inside the apartment, and I see Princey making tea. "Welp, we might as well tell you our actual names, since we know yours already," Popstar suggests, "I'm Patton, and this is Roman. Delta's real name is Logan, for future reference."

"Great, I guess," I mumble, still feeling really awkward about all of this.

The door opens, revealing a professional-looking guy. "I apologize for missing the patrol, and- what is he doing here?" He asks, literally dropping his keys when he sees me.

"Konichiwa," I say, giving a slight wave. Okay, quick question body; why?

"I sent you a text to explain, but I'm guessing you didn't see it," Pop- Patton says guiltily.

Logan looks at his phone, reading through the text, "So you thought it was a good idea to bring a known criminal to our residence because he told you Deceit and Duke's first names?"

"Well yeah, and he needed a place to stay," Logan looked ready to argue so Patton added, "Just think of this as a way to keep a closer eye on him if you don't trust him."

"Alright, but make it known I am only agreeing because it has been a long day and I need rest," He says.

"Yay!! Thanks Logie!!!" Patton cheers, wrapping the logical hero in a hug, causing him to turn red.

"This might take a while, I'll show you the guest room," Roman says, when did he get up? I nod silently, following him. 

A/N: Yeah, I had no idea how to end this