The Rise Of CuteGuy

Night Time

Scar pov

As the night dragged on, Cub began to wake up more, gradually shaking off the drowsiness. He shuffled into the kitchen to make what would be dinner for most people, but for us, it was more like breakfast. I could already tell he was getting his energy back, and I appreciated the slow return to normalcy. It wasn’t like we had a set schedule—our days were all over the place, especially with our unique needs. He was still lounging around, though, not in any rush to do much else. It was his day off from the cafe, so there was no need for him to be up and moving around constantly.

I was still curled up with the cats on the couch, letting them run around and play. I’d grabbed some toys for them, and we were having a little fun when Mr. Finnegan, my mischievous tabby, decided to jump right up onto my lap—right where my scars still felt raw.

The sudden pressure of his paws on my stomach made me wince, and I couldn't help the sharp intake of breath. “Ow, Finnegan!” I muttered under my breath, though I knew he didn’t mean it. It wasn’t his fault, but damn, that hurt a lot more than I had anticipated. My scars—still healing—felt like they had been set on fire for a split second.

I could feel my vex wings twitch instinctively at the pain, though I kept them hidden, focused on the situation in front of me. I didn’t want to make a fuss, though. “You okay?” Cub called from the kitchen, hearing my reaction. He had probably noticed my grimace.

“I’m fine,” I replied, forcing a smile even though the pain was sharp. “Just, uh, didn’t expect the cat to jump there.” I gently lifted Mr. Finnegan off me and set him back on the floor, giving him a little pat on the head, making sure he knew it wasn’t his fault.

Cub just chuckled lightly, looking over at me with an amused grin. “You know you’re probably gonna need to keep them off you for a while, right?”

“I’ll be fine,” I said, still trying to brush off the sting. "It's just gonna take some time to get used to this again."

Cub nodded, but I could see he was concerned. He always had a way of quietly watching over me, even if he didn’t say much. The two of us may have had our issues here and there, but in moments like this, I was reminded of just how much we looked out for each other—no matter how weird or painful the situation got.

With a shrug, he turned back to making food, clearly unfazed by the minor chaos of my feline adventures. "Well, dinner's almost ready," he said casually, as if he hadn't just witnessed me nearly writhing in pain over my cat. "You gonna be able to eat?"

I shot him a small grin. "Yeah, I’m good. Just might need a little less excitement, though."

Finnegan, as if on cue, gave a loud, offended meow, and I chuckled softly despite the pain. Cubs just shook his head with a smirk, and I felt a little more at ease. Things were slowly falling back into place.

The clock seemed to tick faster than usual, and before I knew it, I was halfway through my dinner when it hit me—shift time. I let out a frustrated sigh, pushing my plate away as I hurriedly finished the rest of my food, shoveling the last bits into my mouth. Not ideal timing, but what could I do? The life of a superhero (or, well, Hot Guy) waited for no one.

I quickly wiped my mouth and darted to the bedroom to grab my gear. With a few swift movements, I changed into my superhero outfit, making sure to hide my vex features, just in case anyone noticed. The last thing I needed was to get tangled up in more questions about my "real" identity.

“Alright,” I muttered to myself, adjusting my jacket as I looked in the mirror. “Time to go save the day, I guess.”

As I was about to leave, I caught Cub’s eye from the kitchen. He gave me a wave, a quiet acknowledgment of the shift I was heading to. Despite the usual frustrations of this job, it felt comforting to know that I had someone who understood the routine.

“I’ll be back later,” I called out, giving him a quick nod before slipping out the door.

With that, I headed off to whatever was next. The city needed saving, and Hot Guy was on the clock.

I had no idea how much I had relied on Cute Guy until now. As soon as I was out there on my own, everything felt... off. The aerial protection I was used to—the quick swoops and swoops of his agility, covering me from above—was missing. That extra layer of reassurance, the silent partner who could read situations faster than I ever could, was absent.

Flying solo like this was a lot more daunting than I’d anticipated. The city lights were as bright as ever, but everything felt colder, more isolating. I didn’t have CG’s watchful eyes behind me, and the way he would always have my back, ready to react, ready to move if things got too out of hand. It was second nature to him, a skill he honed just by being himself. Without him, it was like trying to ride a bike without training wheels for the first time—clumsy and unsure.

I focused on my task, scanning the streets below for any signs of trouble. Still, the nagging feeling of not being fully prepared lingered. I guess this was the thing with heroes. You could never predict when things would get intense, but having someone like Cute Guy around made it all feel just a bit more manageable.

The familiar adrenaline kicked in, and I shook off the thought, refocusing on the mission. Still, as I moved through the city, a part of me was missing the constant, silent backup. Maybe next shift, CG would be with me again, and things would feel a little more normal. Until then, I’d just have to make do.

As I patrolled, the quiet seemed almost too still. No sirens, no shouts, no flashing lights—just the hum of the city at night. It was peaceful in a way, but also unnerving. I didn’t realize how much I had gotten used to CG’s presence until it was just me in the quiet. His chaotic energy, the way he could turn a dull moment into something unpredictable and exciting—it was something I didn’t want to let go of. He had a way of keeping things light, even when things got tense.

But now, with the role of the superhero really falling on my shoulders, I couldn’t help but wonder if that chapter of our partnership was closing. Maybe he was done with this life—maybe he was ready to move on, now that I was here. There was a nagging feeling at the back of my mind that I’d miss him more than I was willing to admit. His sharp wit, his unexpected moments of brilliance, and the way he’d always find a way to make me smile in the middle of a crisis.

The longer I thought about it, the less I wanted to face the fact that we might be moving in different directions. I didn’t want to be the hero alone. I didn’t want to lose the weird, wonderful dynamic we had. But what if he needed to step back? What if this was his time to phase out?

As I continued to patrol, I tried to push the thoughts aside, focusing instead on the emptiness of the streets. It was quiet now, but I knew it wouldn’t stay that way forever. Eventually, there’d be a moment where I’d need his help again—when I’d want his chaos to balance out my calm. And in that moment, I realized how much I truly valued having him by my side, even if it meant I had to learn how to be a hero on my own for a little while.

The night would stay peaceful... for now. But when the time came, I hoped CG would be right there with me.