Written for Quidditch - Round 10 - Wigtown Wanderers - Captain: One half of your OTP is constantly flaky and unreliable.
Watch me as I'm fallin'
A/N: This is a Supervillain!AU. I aimed for the stereotypical evil villain because it's more fun that way! :)
Ted/Lucius
Lucius looks at the man in the chair who has been restrained tightly. The man has been trying at the ropes that bind him, because Lucius can see the red-raw skin around his wrists.
The man glares up at him, hate in his amber eyes, and Lucius smirks.
"I have you now, Professor Moony," he says, before clearing his throat. He's about to start on the monologue he's been preparing, but stops himself. It's better to have Captain Handsome here. He doesn't want to waste his monologue on a side-kick and it'd have less impact if he said it twice. He just needs to wait a little longer. "And when Captain Handsome gets here, he'll fall into my trap."
"He won't come, you're wasting your time," the Professor says. There's a trickle of blood on his lip and the man slowly swipes it with his tongue, a slightly manic smile on his lips as he does so. "Why use me as bait? How about we fight one on one? You against me?"
Lucius has heard about how vicious Professor Moony can be. Calm and collected, but once in a full moon, he'll lose his temper and he's a terrifying force. Lucius has no intention of untying him from the chair.
"I don't have time for this," Lucius says haughtily. "I have real superheroes to face."
Moony grins slowly. The blood is smeared a little, and more follows from the cut on his lip. "Coward."
Lucius tosses his blond hair back over his shoulder and turns away. He's not a coward. He's just not going into a fight where he's guaranteed to lose.
"Just saving my resources for your partner. He'll be here soon. Just a few little traps so he'll feel that he's overcome the obstacles, and when he comes in here, I'll use my Freeze-Ray to freeze him, and then test out the new Death-Ray." He turns to take in the look on the Professor's face.
The smile fades quickly and Professor Moony is wary now. "He won't come," he says confidently, though there's the slightest quiver in his voice that betrays him. Lucius knows that Captain Handsome will come. He has no common sense, and he seems very protective of his little Professor for some reason. Lucius has it all worked out - Moony is the key to taking down the meddlesome hero, and he's going to take advantage of that bond and use it to destroy the Captain.
"He will," Lucius assures him. "The Captain has been known to do stupid things to keep you alive."
"He just does stupid things, regardless of the reason," Moony tells Lucius, deflating. He looks almost pitiful now and Lucius would feel sorry for him had he not been the sidekick of Captain Handsome and the sworn enemy of the Emerald Peacock.
"Yes, but…" Lucius trails off at the sound of a phone ringing.
"Problem?" Moony asks. His eyes are darting around the room as though he's looking for an escape.
Lucius hesitates, but the phone stops ringing after three rings. It can't be important. He glances towards his monitors, showing the security cameras. Three have been disabled already, and Lucius is thrown by this. Captain Handsome never stops to handle something like that. So he's gotten others involved.
Lucius was right - Moony is the key. This must be the work of the Hactivist, side-kick of Captain Awesome. If Captain Handsome has called in Captain Awesome for this, Moony must mean more to him than first realised.
He smiles. At this rate he can take down both heroes at the same time.
Moony's gaze follows as Lucius walks over to the Death-Ray, preparing it and giving it time to warm up. A moment later, the door bangs open and the two heroes run in. Captain Handsome looks angrier than the time that Lucius destroyed the bridge, sending cars plummeting to their doom.
"You've fallen into my trap," Lucius starts, as the Freeze-Ray hits the pair. "You—"
He stops at the sound of his phone ringing. This time it doesn't hang up after the three rings. This time it goes onto the speaker, and he hears Ted's voice.
"Hey. It's me. I know I'm not really supposed to use your work phone unless it's an emergency, but… Lu… uh, luv, you're over an hour late for dinner with my parents. They've been looking forward to meeting you and… well, we've gone ahead and ordered. I mean, if you're still coming, I can quickly order your food and… and there's still time to make a good impression. Call me back, okay?"
Lucius swears under his breath. Is it that time already? He thought he had a few hours.
There's no time to take out these two heroes, but he has learned a little bit of information. He's learned how important this Moony is.
"Problem?" Moony says, smugly.
"If I untie you, you all leave without fighting, without problems," Lucius says.
Moony considers this. "If I don't agree?"
"I have a Death-Ray," Lucius points out.
"Oh." Moony nods, and Lucius prays that he sticks to the honourable code that heroes seem to live by. Ten minutes later, the three are out, the cameras are back on and Lucius is rushing out of his base by the back entrance, texting his order to Ted and hoping he can beg forgiveness.
Lucius groans as he looks at the clock. He was supposed to be going to a wedding with Ted right about now, but this jewellery heist is taking a lot longer than anticipated.
He feels the phone buzzing in his pocket for the third time, but he can't reach for it, can't take the call. He needs to focus on the Melting-Ray in his arms and on the bank-staff who are filling bags of money from the vault, their fearful eyes turning to him every chance they get.
"The Emerald Peacock," Captain Handsome says. It's not as mocking or calm as usual. In fact, he sounds angry. He's been like this ever since Lucius kidnapped Professor Moony, like Lucius has crossed a line.
Lucius quickly turns the weapon in the man's direction, and they stare at each other, daring each other to make the first move.
His phone buzzes again, and Lucius sighs. Ted is angry, he can tell already. With a quick movement, he shoots at the ceiling above a crowd of hostages, and Captain Handsome springs into action, moving to save them from the debris.
Lucius grabs a couple of bags of loot and gets out of there. There's still time to get to the wedding. Ted will cover for him and tell them that work kept him out late.
When he arrives, dressed in his best suit, he has to listen to people talk about Captain Handsome on the news, saving lives and foiling a bank robbery, and foiling the Peacock's plans. He bites his tongue and tries to make it up to Ted by being the best date ever.
Captain Handsome is strapped to the table, the red laser moving up by his feet. This time he's not looking as much angry as he is fearful and he's looking around in desperation.
"I've got you now, Captain Handsome," Lucius says. It's the monologue from two weeks ago when he was forced to let the two heroes and the side-kick leave. He's changed it to suit the circumstance and has practiced in front of the mirror several times, and is pleased it's come out so well. Ted hasn't had a chance to listen to it like he usually does, and Lucius hopes that once Captain Handsome is disposed of, he'll have more time for his boyfriend.
"I'll get free, I always do," Captain Handsome insists.
"You'll never be free of me," Lucius says, annoyed that Captain Handsome thinks it okay to interrupt him. "For too long you've been a thorn in my side, for too long you've managed to destroy everything I'm working towards, power, money, fame. But not any longer, Captain Handsome. Today that all ends. Today…" he pauses for dramatic effect, "today, you end."
Captain Handsome sneers at him, but his eyes move around urgently.
Across the room, the door opens, and Lucius spins around, expecting to see Professor Moony or Captain Awesome. Instead, a stranger approaches.
It takes a moment, but he realises that this stranger is wearing Ted's favourite outfit but also a bandana over his face that Ted wore last Halloween when he was dressed as an outlaw in the wild west. Back then it was cute, but today… Well, Lucius has a bad feeling about this.
"Uh… Emerald Peacock?" And yes, that's Ted's voice.
"Yes, what are you doing here?" Lucius asks, confused and slightly annoyed. Ted can't just walk around wherever he likes, he could get hurt in here with all the traps and devices. They'll have to have a talk about this later.
"Can we talk?"
"Can't it wait?" Lucius asks, but Ted shakes his head.
"Can you spare me a minute?" Ted sounds annoyed now, crossing his arms across his chest as he waits for an answer.
Lucius hesitates. The laser is getting higher and the sooner Ted is out, the better. He won't like the screams.
"That's the problem. Lu… Peacock, it's over," Ted says, after a minute of indecision.
"It's… what's over?" Lucius asks.
"Us," Ted says quietly. "I'm sorry. I love you but… there's only so much I can take of being put second to… this other life of yours. You miss all of our dates, or you're late. I could handle the little things, but just yesterday you destroyed that animal adoption centre that you know I love, and…"
"Don't do this," Lucius murmurs quietly. "Come with me." He grabs Ted, pulling him away a little so they can talk.
"You're flaky and unreliable, and I need someone who is constantly there, someone I can trust," Ted tells him. "Don't worry, I'll keep your location and identity a secret. But it's done."
Lucius tries to think of an answer, but a movement out of the corner of his eye distracts him, and he turns in time to see Captain Handsome and Captain Awesome running from the room, and he curses.
When he turns back to Ted, Ted is already walking away, and Lucius doesn't go after him. Lucius doesn't stop him. What can he even say?
Maybe it's for the best because Ted distracted him from his goal. It's not the first time. He's distracted Lucius too much, and this all gives Lucius the chance to get back on track and kill Captain Handsome once and for all. He really has his work cut out for him, but he's going to manage. Somehow.
Because it is Captain Handsome's fault that he's lost his boyfriend, and he'll make the man pay.
The door closes behind Ted, and Lucius sighs, sinking down into a chair. He tries not to think about how easy it was for Ted to end things. How Ted didn't even give an ultimatum and ask him to choose.
But that's all he can think about.
Distracted as he is, he doesn't hear the creak until too late. But before he can turn around, he feels a needle pierce his skin.
"Wolfsbane," comes Moony's hiss in his ear. "I don't take too lightly to anyone hurting my hero."
Fear rises in Lucius' chest, and that's the last thing he hears before everything goes dark.