(Old Version) Hopelessly Heroic

one

Life after Willow was weird.

A month or so after giving up her address, I decided to hang up my mask for good. It didn't feel right anymore. The other Supers worked well with the police to fight crime and I didn't notice any difference after I quit. It really cemented my decision, since apparently I didn't do much anyway.

Plus, with Willow and me gone, nobody had to worry about corrupt members. I was no longer fraternizing with the enemy. The enemy had fled the coop, and I had made the choice not to follow.

After Lilypad's probational period, she went on to become one of the city's most respected Supers. She fought harder and planned smarter, and didn't break the code to find out any of her teammate's real identities. I don't think she missed me much.

It wasn't long before I couldn't stand the city anymore. Everything reminded me of the life I gave up when I chose to stay true to being a hero instead of sticking by Willow's side. But how could I stand by her? She's the villain and I'm the hero. Or, rather, I was.

The day after the police raided her house, I decided to go for one last visit. A tiny part of me hoped that she would still be there, sitting on her bed and waiting for me. She would smile smugly, and saunter over to me. Maybe she'd kiss me again. I hoped she would. She'd tell me how stupid I was for thinking she'd leave me behind. She wouldn't mention me turning on her, because this was a fantasy, and in my many fantasies of her, she never mentioned that part. She'd already have a bag packed for me, and she'd say we had to leave immediately. I would try to persuade her to just lay down for a bit, but she'd be persistent that we had to go. Eventually, she would give in and let me have my way, because this was a fantasy, and everything was perfect.

In reality, I walked into an empty house. Willow wasn't there, and neither were a lot of things I had gotten used to. I couldn't see any gadgets or weapons lying around, and I didn't know if Willow had taken them with her or if the police had seized them. The sheets on her bed were ripped off and crumpled on the floor; her mattress was flipped. Couch cushions were tossed to the side. The fridge door was open, but the light inside was off. The electricity had been cut. All of the dresser drawers were open. I pretended it was from Willow looking for something to wear, and not from the police looking for any hidden things they could steal. I tried to pretend everything was the way Willow had left it, but this mess was different than her mess. This mess was careless.

There were still clothes on the floor. As I walked through the small space, I picked them up. I didn't fold them, but I did stuff them into drawers that I then closed. Out of sight, out of mind. I closed the fridge. I put the couch cushions back where they belonged. I put the sheet back on her mattress, and then I pulled one corner off, just the way I was used to her bed being.

Then I went to the bathroom. Not much had changed, but I closed the cupboards. When I came out, I noticed a shirt hanging off the back of a chair. It was the one she put on me when I woke up from being healed after she burned me. I took it with me when I left; a lonely artifact of the life I wished I chose.

So when I couldn't take it anymore, I packed up and moved. I needed a fresh start. I needed to not be constantly reminded of all my mistakes. I finally got the glasses I so desperately needed. I told the police and my allies that I quit, and nobody seemed surprised. Mind Mania confronted me afterwards. She apologized for going with Lily's crazy plan, and then told me she thought I was doing the right thing. I didn't ask if she was referring to selling Willow out or quitting.

The police gave me my final cheque and wished me well. When I walked out of the building, I didn't look back. Mostly because the TV mounted on the wall was running a segment on The Flamethrower's latest antics in a new city. It was proof that she wasn't waiting, not anymore. Maybe she never had. 

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Woot! First chapter of part two! This one is a bit slow because I had to set everything up but the plot picks up dont worry bye