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"Where are you off to tonight?" I ask, pulling my coat tighter around myself. The Vigilante is staring at his smartwatch but glances up at me at my question.
"Right now, it seems that there's a robbery in progress three blocks from here. After that, wherever the night takes me."
"Do you ever get tired of doing this? Of saving people?"
"I feel tired physically, you know? But I want to help people. I'm lucky enough that I can."
I nod, pursing my lips.
"I'm not sure we deserve it." Humans of this city. Humans in general.
"Some do. You do. And that's enough for me."
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The Vigilante's words ring in my headaches for days. He's helping people because he can. Can I help people, too? Should I?
I start small, avoiding people and opting for dogs and cats instead. There's an animal shelter a couple of blocks from my apartment and they're happy for my help. Even though I'm cleaning up shit more often than not, every time a tail wags, I feel good.
It's been so long since I've really felt anything.
Maybe this is the purpose I've been looking for.
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I get mugged two weeks later while I'm walking home from petting cats. Meanwhile the Vigilante races to save orphans or something saintly like that.
The girl who blocks my path on the sidewalk is a lot taller than me and definitely on something, but I don't know what. She demands all my money, my phone, my coat. I hand over twenty dollars, but she's insistent on more.
"I don't have any more money," I try to explain. "I only carry a little bit of cash. Look at this jacket, do I look like I'm rolling in it?"
She swipes a hand out, jabbing me hard in the stomach. The air leaves my body as I double over, clutching where she's hit me.
"Go to the fucking ATM or something, bitch."
"Fuck off," I snap.
It's the wrong thing to say.
I'm too busy holding onto my middle to block the blow she delivers to my face. I taste blood in my mouth, her fist forcing my lips against my teeth before she pulls it back to hit me one more time on the cheek.
"Bitch," she says again, stepping around me and continuing on her way, as if nothing has happened.
As if I'm not spitting blood onto the sidewalk.
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"What happened?" The way his eyes flare cracks something open in me, and when his fingers make gentle contact with the bruise on my cheek, that feeling threatens to swallow me whole.
My head, my heart, my everything is crying out for more more more.
I can't stop staring at the Vigilante's mouth as he leans closer, examining my cracked and swollen lips.
The urge to kiss him is all consuming.
"Some girl tried to rob me," I whisper, afraid to speak louder than that because of his nearness. "I didn't have enough money for her."
"Christ," he breathes.
"It's really not that bad."
"If danger's out there, you'll find it."
"That's kind of blaming the victim, isn't it? I was just walking home from the animal shelter, minding my own damn business."
"Adopting a pet?"
"No, I volunteer there."
"You do?"
"You inspired me."
"What?" he scoffs, taking a step away from me.
"You know, to help," I add, fighting the instinct to close that distance put between us. "Like you do."
He lets out a ragged breath.
"Bella," he sighs, and it doesn't even occur to me to ask how he knows my name.
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