superhero fetish story

[lukecat]

chapter 1

The neon glow of Horizon City flickered in the distance, its sprawling skyline standing as a monument to both progress and corruption. Rain drummed against the rooftops, cascading down the steel and glass structures like a symphony of whispered threats. Aikan Li, better known as the vigilante Topaz Tiger, staggered to one knee atop a dimly lit parking complex. His breathing was ragged, his ribs aching from the repeated blows delivered by the brute known as Black Serpent.

 

Black Serpent stood before him, a smirk playing at his lips. “You put up a fight, I’ll give you that,” he drawled, his voice as smooth as the poison he trafficked through the city’s underbelly. His coiled whip, pulsing with a sickly green energy, crackled as he prepared the finishing strike. “But heroes who don’t know when to quit? They tend to end up dead.”

 

Aikan tried to rise, but his limbs betrayed him, heavy with exhaustion. His mind screamed at him to move, to do anything, but he knew he was moments away from defeat.

Then, a gust of wind. A shadow cutting through the rain. A streak of white descended from the heavens.

White Hawk.

 

A flash of silver talons sliced through the air, intercepting Black Serpent’s whip before it could land. The villain recoiled, cursing, as White Hawk delivered a precise, brutal kick to his chest, sending him skidding backward. The caped figure landed gracefully beside Aikan, his pristine white costume untouched by the storm. Even through his haze of pain, Aikan could see the sharp contours of the white Mexican mask that concealed his rescuer’s identity.

 

“Looks like you could use some help,” White Hawk said, his voice low and composed.

 

Aikan gritted his teeth. “I had him right where I wanted him.”

 

White Hawk chuckled. “Of course you did.”

 

Without waiting for permission, White Hawk grabbed Aikan and took off into the sky, the city blurring beneath them. Aikan felt a pang of humiliation but lacked the strength to resist. The world faded in and out of focus, the only constant sensation being the firm grip of his mysterious saviour.

 

---

When Aikan awoke, he was lying on a plush leather chaise lounge, the warm scent of cedarwood and expensive cologne lingering in the air. The dim lighting accentuated the grandeur of the space—polished marble floors, gold accents, and velvet curtains draped across towering windows. A grand chandelier cast a soft glow over a sprawling fireplace, where embers crackled in the hearth. It was a mansion—one befitting a figure of power and influence.

 

His gaze landed on White Hawk, who stood near an ornate bar, pouring himself a drink. His costume was gone, replaced with an extravagant velvet Dolce & Gabbana robe that draped over his broad frame. The only remnant of his heroic persona was the white Mexican mask, which still concealed his features.

“You’re awake,” White Hawk remarked, swirling the amber liquid in his glass. “You took quite a beating back there.”

 

Aikan groaned as he tried to sit up, but a sharp pain in his side stopped him. White Hawk set his drink down and approached, his movements slow and deliberate. “You’re hurt,” he said. “You should strip out of that costume so I can tend to your wounds.”

 

Aikan hesitated, his pride bristling at the suggestion. “I can handle it myself.”

 

White Hawk arched an eyebrow, though his expression was unreadable beneath the mask. “Really? Because from where I was standing, it looked like you were about to get killed.”

 

Aikan clenched his jaw. He hated feeling weak, especially in front of someone who had just saved his life. But the pain was real, and he wasn’t in any condition to argue. With a reluctant sigh, he reached for the tattered edges of his costume.

 

White Hawk stepped closer, his voice softening. “Let me help you, Aikan.”

 

Aikan met his masked gaze, searching for any sign of ulterior motives. But all he saw was patience—and something else, something unreadable. He exhaled and nodded slightly. Maybe, just this once, he could allow himself to be saved.

 

Aikan let down his guard, allowing White Hawk to unzip his suit, revealing a bruised, lean body. As the suit was peeled off, Aikan shivered slightly, wearing only his army-green briefs. "I'd like to keep the mask on."

 

"You learn fast," the muscular hero replied. "Don't worry, whatever you've been through, I've been there."

 

---

Aikan awoke to the scent of fresh linen and the lingering warmth of the mansion's luxury. His body ached, but he found himself lying on a vast, neatly made bed. The room was silent, save for the faint ticking of an antique clock on the wall.

 

He sat up, blinking groggily. His mask was still on. At least White Hawk had respected his boundaries.

 

Then it hit him—work. He was running late.

 

Aikan cursed under his breath, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. As he stood, a neatly pressed dress shirt, slacks, and polished shoes caught his attention, laid out on a nearby chair. A small note rested atop the clothes:

Thought you might need a fresh start. – W.H.

 

Aikan hesitated for only a moment before grabbing the outfit. The material was high-quality, tailored to perfection. He dressed quickly, appreciating the gesture even as his thoughts lingered on his masked saviour.

 

He grabbed his phone, hurried out of the room, and managed to hail a cab outside the estate. The drive to the office was a blur, his mind racing with the events of the night before. White Hawk had saved him—twice, really. First from Black Serpent, and then from waking up without a plan.

 

As he stepped into his workplace, he winced. Pain flared through his ribs, a sharp reminder of his injuries. He gritted his teeth and kept walking. He couldn’t afford to look weak, not here.

 

Beth, his sharp-eyed coworker, was the first to notice his sluggish movements. "Jeez, Aikan, you look like you got hit by a truck. Rough night?"

"Something like that," he muttered, lowering himself gingerly into his chair.

Toph leaned over his cubicle wall, raising an eyebrow. "You sure you’re good? You’re zoning out, and we’ve got that client presentation in an hour."

Aikan blinked, trying to shake the fog from his mind. "Yeah, yeah. Just—" He exhaled. "Didn’t sleep much."

Beth smirked. "Don’t tell me you finally have a social life. Met someone?"

Aikan stiffened, memories of White Hawk flashing through his mind—the firm grip, the masked gaze, the smooth voice. He cleared his throat. "No. Just… too much on my plate."

 

Beth and Toph exchanged a knowing glance but didn’t press. As they dove into work, Aikan tried to focus, but his mind kept drifting back to White Hawk—the way his voice had softened, the way his presence had felt steady, reassuring.

For reasons he couldn’t yet explain, he wanted to see him again.

 

---

Later that evening, Aikan found himself at his Muay Thai gym, wrapping his hands as he prepared for training. His injuries were still there, but his superhuman abilities had already started healing him. He moved stiffly at first, but the familiar rhythm of training grounded him.

 

His training partner, Cheng, gave him a once-over. "You sure you should be here? You look like hell."

Aikan smirked. "And yet, I’m still gonna kick your ass."

 

Cheng laughed, shaking his head. "Alright, tough guy. Let’s see what you got."

 

But Aikan wasn’t at his best. Cheng took advantage of his slower reflexes, landing blow after blow. By the end of the session, Aikan lay on the mat, winded and bruised. As he walked home in defeat, he glanced up—and there, soaring above the city skyline, was White Hawk.

 

[lukecat]

chapter 2

The entrance to Dr. Aleck’s laboratory was hidden beneath Horizon City National University, concealed behind layers of security and sterile hallways. Inside, the lab was an eerie blend of advanced technology and unsettling secrecy—walls lined with vials of glowing liquids, screens displaying cryptic genetic sequences, and the hum of machinery that pulsed like a living entity.

 

Dr. Aleck, clad in a white lab coat, observed Aikan with a calculating gaze. His hair was slicked back with cheap gel as usual, and thick black glasses framed his face. The familiar smell of expensive oud cologne greeted Aikan.

 

Before Dr. Aleck could say anything, Aikan felt a wave of shame and confessed like a pious Catholic in a confession booth. "I nearly lost my battle to Black Serpent. I was lucky to have White Hawk whisk me away."

 

“Depending on other heroes? Not on my watch. You’re growing complacent,” he said, his voice as cool as the steel tables.

A moment of silence passed between the two men. After some hesitation, Aikan broke the silence and said, "That's why I came to see you doctor. Can you enhance my abilities?"

 

The doctor adjusted his frames and replied, “It's been a good six months since we started the first phase. In general, you are reacting well to the powers, but perhaps it is time for an upgrade. However, the technology is still a bit iffy.”

 

"What's the iffy bit?" Aikan asked, as he paced around the room. "Recently, I keep wondering what it would feel like to have more powers." 

 

Dr. Aleck adjusted his glasses and coughed to clear his throat. “Well, usually I experiment with mice and some of them show signs of strength but for others, they seem frantic almost, unable to contain the surge in energy."

 

"That's nothing," Aikan replied cockily. "Remember how it was when I first became Topaz Tiger? I manage to manifest and subdue my powers within two weeks."

 

The doctor smirked. "That's my boy. I knew I didn't pick the wrong candidate. Well, you know what to do?"

 

Almost like clockwork, Aikan started stripping down, peeling off his T shirt and jeans to reveal his pale skinny frame. He stuck his fingers down the waistband of his boxers as he tried to stimulate his own cockhead. He knew the doctor needed another sperm sample to create something to take his powers to the next level. Blood gradually filled Aikan’s penis, making him semi-hard. 

 

Although Dr. Aleck was straight, he knew he had a job to do. After being in this line for a while. He knew the shy nerdy types like Aikan did best with some anal stimulation. The doctor friskly removed his lab coat to reveal well-sculpted biceps wrapped in his navy polo shirt. Aikan started moaning as the doctor twisted his left nipple, while using his other hand to stroke Aikan’s hairy anus, before plunging his index finger in. Aikan’s voice filled the room and the test tube was filled with three spurts of cum, before the doctor removed his finger and washed it in the basin at the corner of the room. 

[lukecat]

Chapter 3 - serendipity

The first thief rounded the corner, his gun raised and ready to fire. Aikan was faster. His tiger instincts kicked in, and he lunged forward, knocking the man’s arm aside. The gunshot rang out harmlessly against the marble walls, and with a single punch, Aikan sent the thug flying into a nearby pillar.

 

Aikan just got off work when he saw the orange flare go up from the city centre. Following the sounds of siren, he found himself at the National Museum of Horizon City where a crime spree had erupted. To his surprise, the White Hawk had arrived just seven minutes before him. 

 

White Hawk was a blur of white and silver as he moved with lethal precision, his talons flashing as they sliced through the air. One of the thieves tried to fire at him, but White Hawk’s reflexes were faster. He grabbed the man’s wrist, twisted, and disarmed him in one fluid motion. The thief dropped to the ground with a grunt.

 

Aikan could hear the chaos in the background—yells, the clatter of heels on marble floors, the shrill sound of security alarms echoing through the halls. But all that mattered was the fight before him.

"That’s what I’m talking about," Aikan said, his voice filled with adrenaline. "This is what we do best."

White Hawk flashed him a quick grin. "Stay focused, Tiger."

The two vigilantes moved in sync, a deadly dance of strength and speed. Aikan dispatched another thug with a powerful roundhouse kick, sending the man into a nearby display case, shattering glass. White Hawk darted past him, delivering a flurry of rapid blows to a pair of thieves attempting to flee with a bag full of jewels.

 

The museum was a battleground, each corner becoming a new opportunity for the duo to showcase their teamwork. White Hawk’s speed was unparalleled, his every move an elegant blur, while Aikan’s raw power tore through their enemies with devastating force. The thieves, though well-trained, couldn’t keep up with the combined might of the two heroes.

 

Finally, the last of the thieves dropped their weapons and surrendered, hands raised high in the air. Aikan and White Hawk stood side by side, panting from the intensity of the battle. The sounds of sirens began to fill the air as the museum’s security forces arrived, ready to take the criminals into custody.

Aikan looked over at White Hawk, who was brushing off his robe with casual indifference. "Not bad, White Hawk. We make a pretty good team."

White Hawk’s eyes glinted beneath his mask. "You did well. Maybe you’re not so bad for a rookie."

 

Aikan chuckled, feeling a rush of excitement. He’d fought alongside other heroes before, but there was something about White Hawk—a level of mystery, of grace, that made this partnership feel different. "So, what's next? Do we stick around for the afterparty?"

White Hawk’s smile was unreadable, but his voice was calm. "I don’t think you’ll find many thieves at the afterparty. But I’m sure we’ll run into each other again soon."

 

Before Aikan could respond, White Hawk was already airborne, soaring into the night sky, leaving Aikan standing amidst the wreckage of the fight.

Aikan looked up at the darkened sky, the roar of the city below him, and felt a strange sense of fulfillment. For the first time in a long while, he didn’t feel alone in this fight. Maybe, just maybe, this partnership with White Hawk could lead to something more.

 

The evening air hung heavy with humidity as Aikan made his way down the steps of the museum, his muscles sore from the tussle with the jewel thieves. He could hear the distant hum of police chatter as officers rounded up the criminals and began the clean-up process. The flashing lights of squad cars painted the scene in shades of red and blue, but Aikan felt no sense of triumph. He wasn’t here for recognition.

 

He turned to head toward the alley, ready to slip away into the shadows. But then a voice caught his attention.

"Topaz Tiger, wait up!"

 

Aikan stopped mid-step, stiffening. The voice had an air of enthusiasm that grated against him.

He turned, forcing a tight smile. It was Sergeant Don, the rookie officer he had seen during the museum raid. Don was still in his early twenties, wearing the standard police uniform. His youthful face was lit with an expression that seemed almost reverent, like he was meeting a celebrity.

 

"Thanks for, well... for everything tonight," Don said breathlessly, jogging up to him. He didn’t seem to mind that Aikan was still wearing the Topaz Tiger suit, his face concealed beneath the mask. "I don’t think we would’ve gotten those thieves without your help."

 

Aikan gave a noncommittal nod. "Just doing my part," he muttered, turning slightly to avoid eye contact. His eyes were trained on the exit, mentally already shifting toward the next task.

 

Don, however, seemed to have other plans. "No, I mean, really," he continued, his voice now laced with a sincerity that was hard to ignore. "You were amazing out there. I’ve been thinking about this for a while, but... I’ve gotta ask. How did you get your powers?"

Aikan’s brow furrowed slightly under his mask, though his posture remained relaxed. The rookie didn’t even realise it, but his question hit a nerve.

"I was chosen," Aikan said simply, not wanting to engage too deeply.

 

Don blinked, clearly fascinated. "Chosen? But you must have trained, right? There’s no way anyone could just become... like you, overnight."

 

Aikan felt a surge of impatience. He had worked relentlessly for months to get to where he was, learning to control his abilities, honing his senses. But to this rookie, it all seemed like an afterthought—like the powers could be something anyone could acquire with the right effort.

 

"I wasn’t lucky," Aikan said through gritted teeth. "It’s a bit more complicated than that."

 

Don seemed to chew on the words for a moment before his expression shifted to something more wistful. "I get it. But still, it must be incredible to have that kind of power. Makes me wonder..." He hesitated for a moment, his voice softening. "Do you ever think about what it’d be like if someone like me could do what you do? If I could have powers... I’d be able to do my job better, you know? I’d be able to protect people more effectively."

 

Aikan’s muscles tensed. The thought of someone like Don—a rookie with no real experience—believing that he could wield powers just as easily as someone like him felt wrong. And it made Aikan want to distance himself from the conversation even more.

 

He gave a polite but firm reply. "Not everyone can handle these abilities, Sergeant. It’s more than just about fighting crime. There’s a responsibility that comes with power—something you may not fully understand yet."

 

Don nodded eagerly, seemingly undeterred. "Yeah, I get that, I do. But still, if I could make a difference like you do..." He trailed off, his voice tinged with a yearning that made Aikan uncomfortable.

 

"You don’t want to be like me," Aikan said, his voice low but clear. "Trust me."

 

Don blinked, momentarily confused. But then, to Aikan’s relief, he let out a nervous laugh. "Yeah, I get it. I’m not cut out for that kind of responsibility."

Aikan didn’t answer right away. His heart beat a little faster. Good. Maybe now he’d leave me alone.

 

But Don, ever persistent, was still standing there, waiting for something more. "But hey, thanks again," he said, his voice now lighter. "You’ve got my respect, Topaz Tiger. I don’t know how you keep going, but I guess that's why you’re the hero, huh?"

 

Aikan gave him a polite but strained smile. "Glad I could help, Sergeant. Just keep doing your job the best you can."

 

With that, Aikan scanned the area for an escape. He couldn’t help the irritation building up inside him. A rookie like Don doesn’t get it. He doesn’t know what it’s really like. And he’s delusional if he thinks he can be like me.

 

As he walked away, the sounds of the police scene began to fade, the flashes of lights becoming distant, until only the steady rhythm of his own thoughts remained.

[lukecat]

Chapter 4 - an unwanted obsession

The morning after the museum heist, Sergeant Don sat at his desk in the police precinct, the harsh fluorescent lights flickering above. His coffee sat untouched, the steam rising as his mind replayed the chaos of the previous night—the way Topaz Tiger had come through for them with such ease, taking down the jewel thieves like they were nothing more than nuisances. The way his movements had been fluid, calculated, and almost inhuman.

 

It had been a year since heroes like Topaz Tiger started showing up in Horizon City. But only last night, Don managed to see them up close in action. Don ran a hand through his short hair, frustration gnawing at him.

 

"I could do so much more with powers like his," he muttered under his breath.

 

At the desk beside him, Officer Alice looked up from her paperwork, raising an eyebrow. "What was that, Don?"

 

He snapped back to attention, forcing a smile. "Nothing. Just thinking about last night."

 

Alice chuckled. "It was something, huh? Those heroes really do save our butts sometimes. I bet Topaz Tiger could've stopped the whole thing before we even got there."

 

"Yeah," Don replied, his gaze distant. "But, how do they get their powers? I mean... how does someone like him just become that way?"

 

Keith, who had been reading the latest crime report, turned to face him, an amused grin spreading across his face. "Ah, the age-old question. How do supers get their powers?" He leaned back in his chair, pretending to stroke his chin dramatically. "Some say they’re born with it. Natural born freaks?"

 

"Maybe," Alice said, tapping her pen on the desk. "But I think there’s more to it. Maybe they were in the right place at the right time. Some kind of weird accident or lab experiment gone wrong."

 

Keith scoffed. "Yeah, like those 'power suits' some of them wear. Maybe it’s all some kind of high-tech crap. Just depends on who’s funding the research, right?"

 

Don sat back in his chair, his mind swirling with possibilities. Right place, right time. Lab experiments. Technology. He couldn't help but feel the rising heat in his chest, an itch he couldn't scratch. He wanted to know the truth, wanted to understand how it all worked—how he could get his own powers.

 

"You know," Don said slowly, his voice barely a whisper, "I wouldn't mind having powers like Topaz Tiger. Imagine what I could do for the city, for the department." He glanced over at Alice and Keith, his voice filled with longing. "I could stop criminals before they even try something. Maybe even take down the worst of them."

 

Keith raised an eyebrow, looking at Don like he was crazy. "You? A superhero?" 

 

Alice, however, seemed to give Don’s idea more thought. She leaned forward, looking intrigued. "You really think you could be one of them? Like a vigilante?"

Don nodded, his eyes burning with ambition. "Why not? Everyone always talks about how the world’s better with supers around, but what about us? Why can’t a regular guy like me get a piece of that?."

 

Alice leaned back, her arms crossed. "Be careful what you wish for. Heroes like Topaz Tiger are dealing with a lot more than they let on. It's not just about saving the day. There’s danger. They’re targets. They have to live with that kind of weight."

 

Don's jaw clenched, but his determination didn’t waver. "I don't care. I can handle it." He stood, his chair scraping the floor as he paced. "I just need to find a way to get those powers. Whether it's through science, fate, or whatever it takes. I’m not going to sit around like some useless cop. If I could be like Topaz Tiger, or even more powerful..." His voice trailed off, but the hunger in his eyes was unmistakable.

 

Keith exchanged a look with Alice, both of them sensing Don's growing obsession. "Just don’t go getting any wild ideas, alright?" Keith said, his tone laced with concern.

 

Don’s gaze hardened, his mind already racing ahead. "I won’t. But I’ll find a way."

—

The evening was quiet at Kei’s apartment, with the soft glow of the TV casting shadows over the couch where Don and Kei sat. Kei snuggled against him, her hands on his crotch, but Don couldn’t focus on the movie. His thoughts were consumed with last night’s robbery and Topaz Tiger.

 

Kei noticed Don's distraction and nudged him gently. "You’ve been off all night. You sure you're okay?"

 

Don shifted, restless. "Yeah, just thinking about... last night."

 

Kei frowned, sensing his tension. "The museum robbery? Don, it’s over. The heroes handled it."

 

"I know," he muttered, but his voice was distant. "But they make it look so easy. I keep thinking—what if I could do that? What if I had powers?"

 

Kei stared at him, surprised. "Don, you’re a cop. You don’t need powers."

 

"But think about it, Kei," he pressed. "With powers, I could change everything. Make a real difference." His eyes gleamed, excited by the idea.

Kei sighed, her tone sharpening. "Don, this isn’t you. You’re doing important work already. Powers won’t fix everything."

 

He couldn’t let it go. "But I could be more than just a cop. I need to be more."

 

Kei’s face hardened. "And what, Don? You think being with me isn’t enough? You’re obsessed with something you can’t have, and you’re forgetting what you do have."

 

Don’s frustration flared. "I can do more! I can be more than just this."

 

"You’re forgetting you’re already enough," she shot back, standing up, her voice cutting through the tension. "You’re here with me, Don. And you’re not even seeing it."

 

He opened his mouth to respond, but his phone buzzed—a night patrol alert. His stomach dropped, the urgency pulling him away from the argument.

 

Kei crossed her arms, her voice cold. "Go. Go play hero."

 

Don hesitated but then grabbed his jacket, guilt twisting in his gut. "Kei, I—"

But she was already turning away. "Just go."

 

With a sigh, Don rushed out of the apartment.

 

The high-speed chase was in full swing by the time Don arrived. A gang had stolen a truck and was weaving through traffic, with the police struggling to keep up. Don joined the pursuit, his gun drawn. His hands trembled, but his focus was sharp. This was his chance to prove himself.

 

The criminals veered onto a narrow street, crashing into a barricade. Don sprinted toward them, gun raised, adrenaline surging. But as he approached, one of the criminals aimed a weapon at him.

 

Don barely had time to react, firing a shot just as the criminal fired first. The bullet grazed his arm, but Don didn’t flinch. He charged, determined to finish what he’d started. But just as the thug lunged at him, a shadow swooped in—White Hawk, his wings slicing through the air.

 

With a powerful swoop, the superhero knocked the criminal away and pulled Don to safety, his wings shielding him from further danger. Don gasped, chest heaving as he caught his breath. White Hawk looked at him, his voice steady but serious. "You’re lucky. Next time, be smarter."

[lukecat]

Chapter 5  - At The Docks

The docks erupted into chaos. Smugglers scattered as Black Serpent weaved through the fray, his twin daggers striking with lethal precision. Crates shattered, spilling stolen cybernetic parts and weaponry onto the wet ground. Then, a sharp gust of wind. A streak of white cut through the darkness. White Hawk had arrived.

 

“You again,” Black Serpent muttered, dodging as White Hawk’s foot slammed into the dock.

“You always seem to be wherever there’s trouble,” White Hawk shot back.

 

“Trouble follows me,” Black Serpent said, flicking his wrist. Twin daggers spun toward White Hawk, but he deflected them with a burst of energy.

They clashed fiercely—White Hawk’s raw power against Black Serpent’s agility. Blades met reinforced gauntlets, sparks flying as the fight raged across the docks. White Hawk adapted quickly, pressing the attack until a brutal elbow sent Black Serpent reeling.

“Tch.” Black Serpent wiped blood from his lip. “You’re getting better.”

 

White Hawk lunged to finish it, but Black Serpent twisted away, throwing a smoke bomb. By the time the air cleared, he was gone.

Don pressed forward through the dimly lit docks. Ahead, the battle raged—White Hawk moving like a blur, his strikes precise as he clashed with Black Serpent. The smuggler's operation had been thrown into chaos, crates smashed, their illicit contents spilled onto the damp concrete.

Don had arrived just as the fight tipped in White Hawk’s favor. White Hawk didn’t give chase—his job was done, and the smuggling ring was in ruins. But Don wasn’t about to let the villain slip away so easily.

 

He ran after Black Serpent, his gun drawn but steady at his side. The chase led him through a maze of shipping containers, the clatter of hurried footsteps echoing between them. Then, without warning, Black Serpent stopped. Turned. Faced him.

“You’re persistent,” the villain mused, his voice smooth as silk. “Tell me, officer—how long do you plan to chase men like me when you could be standing beside us?”

 

Don narrowed his eyes. “Not interested.”

 

Black Serpent chuckled, tilting his head. “Oh, but you are. I’ve seen it before—the hunger in men like you. The frustration of being just human while the world is ruled by those with power.”

 

Don’s grip on his gun tightened, but he didn’t fire. Black Serpent took a slow step closer.

 

“I can give you that power.”

 

Temptation flickered. The words burrowed deep. Every struggle, every moment he’d felt weak or helpless on the job flashed through his mind. If he had power, he wouldn’t have to rely on superheroes. He wouldn’t have to watch from the sidelines. Don forced his expression into one of reluctant interest. He took a step forward, appearing to consider the offer. Black Serpent smiled knowingly, sensing victory.

 

Then Don struck.

 

In one fluid motion, he lunged forward, yanked a pair of cuffs from his belt, and snapped them toward Black Serpent’s wrist. But the villain was faster. Before the cuffs could click shut, Black Serpent slammed his forehead into Don’s, sending the officer staggering back with a sharp grunt of pain. His vision swam as he hit the ground.

 

A second later, Black Serpent was gone, his laughter lingering in the night air. Don groaned, pushing himself up. That’s when he saw it—a small black card resting beside him. No name, no logo. Just a number embossed in silver. An invitation.

Still reeling, Don tucked the card into his pocket. He wouldn’t use it. He told himself that.And yet, even as he stood, he couldn’t ignore the fact that Black Serpent had seen something in him.

[lukecat]

Chapter 6: Dashed Hope

Aikan barely had time to think about his vigilante work. His day job had consumed every waking hour, leaving no space for patrols, no room to chase criminals in the night. Weeks passed without him donning the Topaz Tiger suit. Tonight, he finally had a moment to breathe. And there was only one place he wanted to go, Dr. Aleck’s lab to get the power upgrade he had been yearning for. 

He arrived expecting answers. Instead, he found devastation.

 

The lab was ransacked—cabinets overturned, shattered glass coating the floor like ice, papers strewn in careless disarray. Aikan’s gut twisted as he stepped inside, scanning the wreckage. There were no signs of struggle—no blood, no body—but that didn’t mean Dr. Aleck was safe.

Someone had come for something. And they had found it. Aikan’s fingers twitched. If it were anyone else, they would assume all was lost. But Aikan knew better.

 

He moved past the obvious destruction, heading straight for a small maintenance panel behind a filing cabinet. Years ago, Dr. Aleck had jokingly told him that if anything ever happened, the real secrets wouldn’t be in the computers—they’d be where no one else would think to check.

Aikan pried open the panel, and there, tucked away in the cramped space, was a neatly folded pair of briefs. He exhaled sharply. This wasn’t just any clothing. Dr. Aleck had left this behind on purpose.

 

Carefully, Aikan retrieved them, brushing off the dust. Aikan’s fingers flew across the keyboard of the nearest working terminal to hopefully find more information, but most of the files were corrupted and fragmented code was blinking erratically on the screen. He was no stranger to digital forensics—he’d spent enough late nights debugging impossible systems to know that with enough effort, something could still be salvaged.

Plugging in a portable drive, he initiated a deep scan, piecing together whatever data hadn’t been completely wiped. The process was slow, frustratingly so, but eventually, he managed to extract a handful of damaged files. He pocketed the drive, took one last look at the ruined lab, and exhaled sharply. Whoever had done this wasn’t just after research.

 

Aikan’s grip tightened. The answers weren’t here anymore. But he had some clues that might lead him to them.

[lukecat]

Chapter 7: Sting

 

Sergeant Don sat at his desk in the precinct, flipping the sleek black card between his fingers. Across from him, Sergeant Jae leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, his biceps bulging in the tight navy police uniform. Unlike Don, who carried himself with quiet resolve, Jae was a rising star in the department—athletic, sharp-minded, and known for his no-nonsense approach to police work. He had a reputation for moving through the ranks quickly, his instincts often sharper than those of men with twice his experience.

 

"You know we should just turn that in, right?" Jae finally said, nodding toward the card.

 

Don sighed, setting it down. "I know. But Black Serpent didn’t just leave this for me as a taunt. He wants something. That means we have an opportunity."

 

Jae narrowed his eyes. "An opportunity or a trap? He’s not some small-time thug, Don. He’s the kind of guy who always has a plan."

Don hesitated, then nodded. "That’s why we take it straight to Ash. If we do this right, we could take him down."

Jae exhaled sharply, then reached for the card. "Let’s go."

 

Captain Ash studied the card in his office, turning it over in his hands. His expression remained impassive, but Don could see the gears turning in his head. Ash had always prided himself on leading from the front, a decisive man who hid his ambition beneath a mask of duty.

 

"You’re suggesting a sting operation," Ash said, finally looking up. "Black Serpent wants you to meet him. We use that."

 

Jae stood with his arms crossed. "Sir, this is dangerous. Serpent isn’t just another gang leader. He’s calculated, and if we’re not careful, this whole thing could backfire."

 

Ash leaned forward. "Which is why we make sure it doesn’t. You, Don, and two more officers will run point. SWAT will be positioned nearby for backup. We make the arrest clean and decisive."

 

Jae’s jaw tightened, but he nodded. Don, however, had an uneasy feeling creeping up his spine.

 

---

The operation was set at an abandoned warehouse near the docks. Don stood under the flickering lights, his heartbeat steady but his muscles tense. Jae, along with Sergeants Reyes and Koh, hid in the shadows, awaiting Ash’s signal. The SWAT team was stationed outside. Footsteps echoed from the darkness.

 

Black Serpent emerged, dressed in a simple white tank top and khaki pants, with a cleanly shaven head and a serpent tattooed across his forearm. The gaunt man was a stark contrast to his infamous name. But his presence alone was enough to set Don on edge. There was something about the way he moved—too smooth, too confident.

 

"Sergeant Don," Serpent greeted, his raspy voice laced with amusement. "I had a feeling you’d come around."

Don kept his posture firm. "I want in."

 

Serpent studied him, then smirked. "Smart man. But if we’re going to work together, you’ll need this."

 

He reached into his pocket and tossed Don a small black earpiece. Don barely caught it, his fingers tightening around the cool metal.

 

"This will keep us in touch," Serpent continued. "You’ll be my eyes and ears in the force. Simple, right?"

 

Don barely had time to react before Ash’s voice cut through the silence. "Now!"

 

The warehouse doors burst open as officers stormed in, weapons raised. But Black Serpent didn’t flinch. Instead, he moved with terrifying speed, grabbing Don and pulling him close as a shield.

 

"Bad move," Serpent murmured. Before Don could break free, a blade flashed in the dim light. Jae let out a sharp gasp as the knife buried itself into his side. He staggered, blood spreading across his shirt. Don’s stomach dropped.

"JAE!"

Reyes and Koh charged in, but Serpent was faster. A brutal strike sent Reyes crashing into a stack of crates, unconscious. Koh barely had time to react before Serpent landed a bone-shattering blow that knocked him out cold. Don struggled against Serpent’s grip, but the villain was impossibly strong. "You played your part well," Serpent said quietly. "But you were never going to win."

 

Then, out of nowhere, a blur of white and gold crashed into them. It was the vigilante, White Hawk. The superhero struck hard and fast, forcing Serpent back. But even he wasn’t quick enough—Serpent’s blade found its mark, stabbing White Hawk in the chest. The vigilante faltered, blood dripping onto the warehouse floor. Thankfully, before Black Serpent could finish him off, another figure joined the fray—a hero clad in sleek yellow and black armor, his movements fluid and deadly.

 

Topaz Tiger had appeared, after weeks of inaction in the crime-fighting scene. With razor-sharp reflexes, he intercepted Serpent’s next strike, his claws raking across his arm. "Not so fast," he growled, his voice firm with authority.

 

Serpent hissed in frustration, but now the fight was turning against him. Even with his speed and cunning, he was outmatched. White Hawk, despite his injury, launched himself forward, striking with precise, brutal efficiency. Topaz Tiger mirrored his movements, weaving in and out of combat with calculated precision. Sirens wailed as more backup swarmed in, and officers rushed forward, securing Serpent in reinforced restraints.

 

Don collapsed to his knees, gasping for breath. His gaze darted to Jae, who lay motionless as paramedics worked to stabilize him. White Hawk stood over them, gripping his wound but still standing tall. Topaz Tiger glanced at him, his amber eyes sharp with concern. As Black Serpent was taken away, Don clenched his fists. This wasn’t a victory.

 

White Hawk exhaled sharply, rolling his injured shoulder. Topaz Tiger stepped closer, brushing his gloved fingers against his arm. "You’re bleeding."

 

"So are you," he muttered, noticing a fresh cut along his cheek.

 

Aikan smirked. "Guess we’re even."

 

White Hawk held his gaze for a moment, something unreadable flickering in his expression. "You’ve improved."

 

Aikan’s smirk deepened. "Miss our night together?"

 

White Hawk didn’t answer immediately, but the way his fingers lingered on Aikan’s arm spoke volumes. Then, with a final glance, he turned away, disappearing into the shadows. Aikan wanted to give chase but before he could, a sharp pain jolted his guts, leading him to fall to the ground.

[lukecat]

Chapter 8: vulnerable

The golden-armored hero stumbled forward, his footing unsteady, as if the ground itself were shifting beneath him. His usually powerful frame trembled, his hands clutching at his side. Don rushed forward instinctively.

 

"Topaz Tiger!" Don called out, reaching for him. "Are you alright?"

 

The hero barely managed to lift his head. His visor, cracked from the battle, revealed just enough of his face for Don to see pain etched into every strained breath.

 

"Poison…" Aikan’s voice was barely a whisper. "Black Serpent’s venom, it’s slowing me down. My body is shutting down…"

 

This was bad. If the poison was as lethal as its namesake, Aikan wouldn’t last much longer without medical attention.

"We need to get you to a hospital, and now."

 

Aikan let out a weak whimper. "I can't walk. My muscles are failing me." He took a shallow breath. "Help me, but please don’t… don’t unmask me." His gloved hand feebly clutched at Don’s sleeve. "Please, don’t let anyone see me like this. Bring me out to the forest so I can heal."

There was something desperate, almost fragile, in his words. Don hesitated. One of the city's most elusive hero was practically collapsing in his arms, yet he still feared exposure more than death itself.

 

"Fine," Don relented. "But we have to move. Fast."

 

Sergeant Don carried the hero a good two miles, his tough police training had come in handy. Despite his lean frame, Sergeant Don had natural strength and endurance, but Topaz Tiger’s healing factor was no match for Black Serpent’s venom.

 

Aikan's fingers trembled as he reached for the buckle of his belt. "The belt… it's where my power comes from." His voice was laced with hesitation, as though the thought of revealing this truth was more painful than his injuries. "You need to wear it. It'll give you the speed and the strength to get me out of here and into a hospital or something."

 

Don blinked in shock. "Wait, you're saying this thing actually gives you powers?"

 

Aikan’s replied through bated breath, "It’s not something I give lightly. But right now, I have no choice. If you don’t put it on, I won’t make it."

 

There was no time for debate. Don’s hands went to the golden belt, hesitating only for a moment before unclasping it. The second the buckle came undone, something incredible happened. Topaz Tiger’s signature battle gear—began to dissolve. It shimmered, and quickly faded away into nothingness. In an instant, the powerful, enigmatic hero was gone.

 

In his place, Aikan lay slumped against a tree, stripped of his legendary guise. Without the armour, his true form was shockingly vulnerable—a lean, pale figure clad in nothing but a pair of grey briefs. His skin, damp with sweat, glowed under the moonlight, the faint rise and fall of his chest the only sign that he was still alive. Don swallowed hard, shifting his gaze. This was the Topaz Tiger? The hero he’d seen take down entire gangs with ease? Right now, he looked more like an ordinary young man than an unstoppable force of justice.

 

But Don didn’t have time to dwell on it. He fastened the belt around his own waist. The transformation was instant. A rush of raw energy surged through his body like lightning crackling through his veins. His muscles coiled with newfound strength, his senses sharpened, and the world around him seemed to slow. Every fiber of his being felt supercharged, as if he had just stepped into a reality where gravity had no hold on him.

Don exhaled, flexing his fingers. The agility, the power—it was unlike anything he’d ever felt before. He was faster. Stronger. Every movement felt effortless, like his body had been fine-tuned to perfection.

 

His heart pounded with exhilaration.

 

"This is insane," he muttered under his breath. It was everything he had ever dreamed of—the speed, the ability, the rush of power that made him feel truly unstoppable. Aikan groaned weakly, reminding Don of the urgency of the situation.

"Right," Don muttered, refocusing. "Hospital. Now."

 

He lifted Aikan into his arms with ease, surprised at how light he felt. Then, with a single leap, he shot forward, his body moving at an unbelievable speed. The world around him blurred as he dashed through the forest, weaving between trees with the precision of a predator. Every movement was instinctual, natural—like he had been born to wield this power.

 

Within minutes, he reached the city limits, the neon glow of the hospital sign guiding him forward. He sprinted through the emergency entrance, his arrival a whirlwind of motion that left the nurses stunned.

 

"Help him!" Don barked, his voice carrying the weight of urgency. "He’s been poisoned—he needs immediate attention!"

The medical staff sprang into action, rushing Aikan onto a gurney and wheeling him away. Don stood there, his breath steady despite the incredible feat he had just performed. His hands instinctively rested on the belt around his waist. He had saved a life tonight. And he had gained something else in return.

[lukecat]

Chapter 9: Reprimanded

The room was cold. The panelists’ faces were half-obscured in shadow, but their voices cut like razors. Captain Ash stood at attention in his neatly pressed uniform, his spine straight, his hands clenched behind his back. Although his uniform was spotless, it did little to protect him from the barrage that followed.

 

“This wasn’t initiative. This was recklessness.”

“You had no authorization. No backup. No clearance to deploy that way.”

“You dragged your team into a death trap and got two officers nearly killed.”

 

Ash’s eyes flickered, but he held his tongue. He had rehearsed this. He knew what they’d say. But still, hearing the disdain aloud hollowed him.

 

“You're not a lone wolf, Captain. You don't get to go rogue and call it valour.”

“You made a decision with lives you weren’t prepared to lose.”

 

The words came one after another, building like a storm. He didn’t argue. There was nothing to say. The sting had worked — Black Serpent was behind bars. But Jae is now in the hospital and White Hawk was injured. 

 

“We can’t trust your judgment. Not anymore.”

“Effective immediately, you are suspended from active command until further review.”

“Dismissed.”

 

The words hit harder than he expected. Ash’s breath caught in his throat, but he saluted silently and turned toward the door. It was already open — as if they couldn’t bear the sight of him a moment longer. Waiting outside was Superintendent Josh, arms crossed, jaw tight. His eyes didn’t move as Ash stepped out, but his voice was low.

 

“Come with me.”

 

Ash followed him down the corridor in silence. Every footstep echoed with shame. They walked in silence down the narrow corridor, the fluorescent lights above humming faintly. Captain Ash kept his gaze low, his boots thudding against the sterile floor. Josh didn’t look at him. At the end of the hall, Josh pushed open a nondescript door and ushered Ash inside. It was a private office — all glass walls and muted furnishings. The blinds were already drawn.

 

The door clicked shut behind them. Josh leaned against the desk, arms crossed, studying Ash with a gaze that finally softened.

“You’re not suspended,” Josh said flatly.

 

Ash blinked. “But—”

 

“They wanted your badge. I gave them your temporary removal from command instead. It was the only way I could keep them from sinking you.”

 

Ash stared at the floor. “I don’t care what they do to me.”

 

Josh’s eyes narrowed. “That’s the problem, Ash. You throw yourself in the fire like you don’t matter. Like none of this matters.”

 

Ash’s jaw clenched. “It did matter. We got Black Serpent…”

 

“You didn’t think. Period.” Josh’s voice cracked like a whip, but then he sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “But I know why you did it. I know what it’s like to feel like to want to achieve something big, to build your career on. How do you think I got here? 

Josh let out a smirk and Ash looked up — and for a second, their eyes met. Long enough for the air to shift. Josh stepped forward slowly, his voice lower now, rougher.

 

“I vouched for you, you know. Not because of your record. Not because of the brass. Because I’ve seen what you’re like when no one’s watching.”

 

Ash’s mouth parted slightly. There was something behind those words.

 

“You think I’d pull you out of the fire just because you’re good at your job?” Josh asked, voice tight. “You think I haven’t noticed the way you—”

 

Ash took a step back, heart pounding. “Sir…”

 

Josh laughed once, bitterly. “Don’t ‘sir’ me now. Not after everything. Turn around and bend over the table.”

 

After being shamed by the panel, all Ash knew to do was to obey. Before he knew it, Josh’s hand was unbuckling his belt pulling his pants to the ground.  Ash lowered his gaze again, his throat tight. “I didn’t mean to mess everything up.”

 

“You didn’t.” Josh’s voice gentled. “You just… need someone to remind you who you are when the armour comes off.”

 

Ash felt a tight slap over his butt and Josh admired his beautiful glutes through his yellow briefs. Before he knew it, a warm sensation cuddled Ash’s tight hole. Josh had given into the temptation of rimming his favourite understudy.

[lukecat]

Chapter 10: Echoes of the Tiger

It had been six months since the Black Serpent was apprehended in the sting operation that left the unit rattled and broken in ways no one wanted to talk about. Six months since Topaz Tiger disappeared into the forest, clutched in the arms of a Sergeant Don, who wanted nothing but to help rid his city of evil and supervillians. And now, Topaz Tiger walked the streets once more — but with broader shoulders and a different voice under the mask.

 

Don moved like he was born for the mantle. His steps were confident, his strikes calculated, his presence unmistakable. The suit responded to him, clung to him with familiarity. The city embraced his version of the hero, unaware that its heart no longer belonged to the original.

Aikan Li’s muscles ached from yet another early morning training session at his muay thai gym. He had healed, mostly. The poison had left his system. His wounds had closed. But something deeper hadn’t. Every day he rose with a tightness in his chest, a hollow weight in his belly. Without the belt, without the suit, without the mantle of Topaz Tiger — who was he? To make things worse, he had no idea where Dr Aleck had been all this while. He would do anything to make himself feel worthy again. 

 

Aikan hadn’t been able to track down Don since the day he passed the belt. That moment burned in his memory — not with regret, but with longing. For the strength. For the purpose. For the version of himself that didn’t flinch at his own reflection.

 

Captain Ash kept his head down. He had returned to active duty, though his authority had been clipped. He answered more. He stepped more lightly. He obeyed protocols like scripture now. Superintendent Josh loomed over his every move. Their relationship had settled into something tense, coiled — something that didn’t quite have a name. Behind closed doors, Josh’s voice softened. His touch lingered. There were moments, quiet ones, that bordered on tenderness. Then came the sharp turns. The reminders.

 

“You wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for me,” Josh had whispered the last time they were alone.
“Don’t forget what they wanted to do to you.”

 

Now Ash’s freedom was narrower than the badge on his chest suggested. And every time Josh pulled him into a corner with those eyes and that quiet intensity, Ash followed — part guilt, part need, part resignation. He didn’t know what to call this thing between them. He only knew it kept him in uniform. And for now, that had to be enough.

 

Rain traced lines down the windows of the precinct's recovery wing, a quiet corner reserved for those still mending—physically, or otherwise. Jae sat hunched on the gym bench, absently rolling a stress ball between his fingers. His once-coiled strength, the agility he’d prided himself on, had become a phantom sensation. The damage Black Serpent left behind wasn’t just physical; it was a theft of control. His body had healed enough for light duties—desk work, supervision, review files—but he yearned for motion. For the feeling of flipping through the air, for the rush of combat, for the tension of pushing himself beyond human limits.

 

The door clicked open. Captain Ash stepped in, a man who looked like he hadn’t slept in days. His posture was tense, like he was bracing for something. Jae looked up, surprised. “Didn’t think I’d see you here.”

 

“I needed some air,” Ash said. “How’s your recovery?”

 

Jae just shrugged, not knowing what to express. For a moment, neither spoke. The rain filled the silence between them.

 

“You ever feel like you’re still fighting,” Ash continued, “just not the fight you trained for?”

Jae let out a short laugh. “Every damn day.”

 

Ash looked away. His jaw tensed, the muscles in his neck straining against words he had long kept to himself. “I thought surviving that sting would be the hardest part,” he said. “But no one talks about what comes after. The quiet orders. The strings.”

 

“Josh?” Jae asked softly. Ash hesitated, but the weight of the name didn’t need repeating. He just nodded.

 

“He pulled me out of the fire,” Ash continued. “If he hadn’t intervened, I would’ve been discharged. Stripped of rank. Maybe worse. But now... I owe him. Every day I wear this uniform, I’m reminded it’s only because he said I could.”

 

“That’s not freedom,” Jae murmured.

 

“No,” Ash replied. “It isn’t. But it’s all I’ve got.”

 

Jae squeezed the stress ball tighter. “Feels like we’re all just ghosts of what we used to be.”

 

Ash leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees. “You miss it?”

 

“My body remembers what it was capable of,” Jae said quietly. “But when I try… it’s like the signal's been scrambled. Like I’m underwater.”

 

They both sat in the soft hum of fluorescent lights and rain. Two men who had once been unshakeable, now cracked in private ways.

 

Ash finally said, “Maybe it’s selfish, but it helps, talking to you.”

 

Jae gave a small, wry smile. “It’s not selfish. We’re not machines. Even tigers have to rest.”

 

Ash looked at him, eyes filled with something raw. “You still believe in us?”

 

Ash felt a surge of gratitude towards Jae. He couldn't believe how understanding and empathetic he was being, despite all the dressing downs he had given Jae in the past. It made Ash want to use him, to let go of all his frustrations and anger.

 

Without thinking, Ash wanted to feel like the Captain he once was, and ordered Jae to strip into his briefs. Jae's eyes widened in surprise, but in this tender moment, he quickly did as he was told. Ash couldn't help but stare at Jae's toned body, his muscles rippling with every movement. Jae's bulge in his underwear smelled of sweat and musk, and Ash couldn't help but breathe it in. It was intoxicating, and it only made him want Jae more. He ordered Jae to do the same as he pulled off his pants, and soon they were both standing there in just their briefs, their bodies only inches apart.

 

Ash reached out and touched Jae's chest, feeling the heat radiating off of him. Jae's breath stopped, and Ash could see the desire in his eyes. He ordered Jae to take off his briefs, and Jae quickly complied. Ash's cock was already hard, and he couldn't help but stroke it as he looked at Jae's naked body. Jae's dick was already erect, and Ash couldn't help but reach out and touch it. Jae moaned as Ash stroked his cock, his hips thrusting forward. Ash couldn't help but lean in and kiss Jae, their tongues exploring each other's mouths.

 

Ash broke the kiss and ordered Jae to get on his knees. Jae did as he was told, his eyes fixed on Ash's cock. Ash couldn't help but smile as Jae took his cock into his mouth, his tongue swirling around the tip. Ash groaned as Jae sucked on his cock, his hips thrusting forward. He could feel his orgasm building, and he couldn't help but hold back. He wanted this to last as long as possible.

 

But eventually, Ash couldn't hold back any longer. He shot his load into Jae's mouth, and Jae swallowed every drop. Ash couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction and relief as he came, his body trembling with pleasure. Jae stood up, a smile on his face. Ash couldn't help but feel grateful for Jae, for his understanding and empathy. It was exactly what Ash needed to feel better.

[lukecat]

Chapter 11: Nocturnal Games

 

Bastion’s sneakers echoed along the empty footpath, the soft thud of rubber soles against concrete the only sound keeping him company in the late evening gloom. His backpack weighed heavy with textbooks. He shouldn’t have stayed late after tuition. Not in Horizon City. Not with all the recent disappearances of children and teenagers. He turned the corner near the underpass and saw the glint of eyes in the midst of the darkness. Before he could react, a shadow swooped down from above, leathery wings cutting through the air with brutal force. The scream never made it out of his throat.

 

The warehouse was dark, just enough for the city lights to dance around its walls from kilometres away. White Hawk’s boots landed with a soft thud on the dusty floor as he tailed BatFreak, careful, controlled. He’d caught glimpses of the villain dragging the terrified teen — Bastion — into the building moments ago.

 

“Let him go,” White Hawk’s voice echoed low, sharp.

 

BatFreak hissed from the rafters, legs coiling like rope. “Or what? You’ll flap your pretty feathers and cry?”

Before White Hawk could draw his baton, BatFreak dropped from above, flipping mid-air, legs wide and locking around the hero’s neck. The impact slammed White Hawk into a beam, and before he could react — the villain's groin pressed tight against his face. There was something chemical. Heavy. A stink that wasn’t just sweat but something more insidious. White Hawk gagged. His limbs felt like jelly. His strength bled out in seconds. The world spun as BatFreak tightened his thighs, rubbing in with sadistic glee. Somehow, it made White Hawk hard in his tight costume, but his strength was quickly draining from the smell. 

 

“You like that, bird-boy?” BatFreak sneered.

 

But before the villain could finish gloating, the warehouse wall exploded. It was Topaz Tiger who stormed through the dust cloud, glowing and furious. His armored fist connected with BatFreak’s side in a sickening crack. White Hawk collapsed as BatFreak shrieked and flew across the warehouse, slamming into crates. Topaz Tiger didn’t wait. He lunged, raining blow after blow, until BatFreak’s breathing turned into gasps. The villain’s limbs trembled, and a spatter of blood hit the ground. Before long, the freak let out a shriek and flew out into the night sky, upset he had lost his prey tonight but at least he lives to hunt another day. 

 

“No mercy for freaks,” Topaz Tiger growled, barely holding himself back from delivering the final punch. Bastion, who had been curled in a corner, stared in awe. His mouth hung open, trembling not with fear, but reverence.

 

“You’re real,” he breathed. “You’re—heroes.”

 

White Hawk, still shaken, but his strength slowly regaining since fresh air replaced the smell of BatFreak’s musky crotch, used the wall to push himself upright. He looked at Bastion with softness in his eyes. “You’re safe now. And one day… I think you’ll be one of us.”

 

Topaz Tiger scoffed, turning away. “He doesn’t have what it takes.”

 

The boy’s gaze flicked between them. “I… I want to be like you.”

 

White Hawk shot a sharp look at Topaz Tiger, quiet and knowing. “You’re not the same,” he said. “You’re not the Topaz Tiger I knew.”

 

“We’re done here,” Don muttered under his mask, and stomped out without another word. White Hawk watched him go before turning to Bastion.

 

“Come on,” he said, voice softer now. “Let’s get you home.”

 

Before Bastion could say anything, the muscular hero lifted the young man in a fireman carry and took to the sky. Bastion peed a little in his jeans from the sudden height gain but knowing he was safe in the hero’s arms quickly comforted him.

The city lights glowed gentle amber as Bastion directed White Hawk to his home, while the hero secretly sniffed Bastion’s curly hair. 

 

“You really think I could be a hero?” Bastion asked, eyes wide as they landed in front of his apartment. White Hawk looked at him, noticing the scuffed knees, the courage it must’ve taken to stay strong in a kidnapping. He smiled. “You already are one. You got through tonight.”

 

There was silence for a moment as they both stared into each others’ eyes, a mysterious connection that evaded the formulation of words. 

 

“Do you know who Topaz Tiger really is?” Bastion asked, breaking the silence. 

 

White Hawk hesitated. “I used to.”

 

Bastion tilted his head. “He’s scary. But also… kinda cool.”

 

White Hawk chuckled. “Yeah. That’s how it starts.”

 

Bastion made his way, bid the hero goodbye. And White Hawk for some unknown reason, took note of his address. 

—

The night air was thick with the scent of damp leaves and old stone as Aikan scaled the mossy hill that led to Dr. Aleck’s old lab. The metal doors groaned slightly as he slipped through the broken latch, the once-pristine research center now a skeleton of what it used to be. The air had been stirred recently and the faintest impression of muddy footprints led down the corridor toward the tech vault. Aikan’s eyes narrowed. Someone’s been here.

 

He moved silently, navigating the scattered files and unplugged wires until he reached the core room. The vault — once sealed — had been pried open slightly. Just enough for someone to slip through. He pushed it open gently. Nothing was missing. But on the floor was a small trail of crumbs. Energy bar crumbs. A wrapper tucked under the console.

His heart pounded. He wasn’t alone. Or at least, someone had been returning regularly. Who could it be? Don has the belt, but he wouldn’t have known of Topaz Tiger’s origin, unless the belt could speak. Or was it a scavenger trying to find leftover tech?

 

Aikan reached into his coat pocket, pulling out a compact device — a custom micro-drone camera with a motion-detection alert system. He climbed the back panel near the ventilation shaft and mounted it perfectly — hidden from sight. Then he pulled out a burner phone, synched it to the feed, and tested it. A grainy, green-tinted image of the lab’s interior blinked to life. Perfect.

 

"Let’s see who you are…" Aikan whispered.

 

Before he left, he looked around the lab once more. The broken furniture. The cracked whiteboards. The faint scent of soldering still clinging to the walls. This was where Topaz Tiger had been born.

—

The blinds were shut, the room dim — only a desk lamp cast light across Superintendent Josh’s polished shoes. Captain Ash knelt at the center of the rug, stripped down to his navy jockstrap. His breath was steady, trained. He’d been through this before. Josh paced behind him, quiet, controlled. Then he spoke — not harsh, but deliberate.

 

"You’ve done well lately," Josh murmured, his fingers running through Ash’s thick and wavy hair. “Your report on the Red Titan sightings in the outer district was meticulous. You’re good at your job.”

 

Ash didn’t answer but the compliment made blood rush to his groin. He knew the drill. But his fists trembled with excitement and precum wet his jockstrap as Josh teased his erect nipples. Josh circled to face him, almost kissing him, voice softening. “Don’t look so tense. I only ask this of you because I know you can handle it.”

 

There was a flicker of something in Ash’s eyes — not quite shame, not quite pride. Josh crouched before him, brushing a knuckle along Ash’s cheek. “You're not just some pawn, Ash. I don't let just anyone kneel here.”

 

A smirk tugged at Ash’s lips. Josh leaned back, unbuckling his belt slowly, more ceremonial than crude — until a sharp, urgent beep pierced the quiet. He froze. His comm tablet blinked red. Priority One. Josh’s expression hardened in an instant. He crossed the room, tapping the alert.

 

The dispatcher’s voice crackled:  “Skele Grow gang sighted at the Horizon City Central Bank — multiple hostiles, gold vault breach confirmed. Requesting immediate tactical response.”

 

Josh snapped into action, swiping on his holster and grabbing his comms gear. “Ash, get up. Get suited! We have to go!”

 

Ash rose quickly, already halfway into his pants. “We going in full force?”

 

Josh nodded, his voice clear and commanding again. “They’re not getting out with a single ounce of that gold.”

He glanced over, seeing his beautiful Captain emerge from the shadows in his neat uniform, a spectacle in his eyes. Ash paused, and replied tenderly, “Yes, sir.”

[lukecat]

Chapter 12: Cracks in the Mask

The streets around Horizon City's Central Bank were in disarray. Sirens howled as police cordons strained to contain the chaos. Black smoke twisted into the evening sky, flickering orange under the dying sun. The Skele Grow Gang had returned — bigger, bolder, and more coordinated than ever. Sergeant Don arrived on scene with Captain Ash and Superintendent Josh close behind. Flanking them were the officers of Horizon City's special tactics unit, all weary-eyed but braced for battle.

The gang had split into cells, masked and swift, flitting through alleyways and rooftop ledges. Their regenerative drugs made them nearly impossible to injure permanently. They moved like phantoms. Before Don could bark another order, the ground shuddered. From above, a massive figure landed with a crash. A mountain of fur and muscle roared as he straightened.

 

SuperApe. His mighty fists cracked the pavement as he pounded his chest. “Party’s started!” he grinned.

“Right behind you,” came a voice as sleek as it was cocky. Panthera Prince dropped from a lamppost, claws gleaming. “Let’s hunt.”

 

The heroes charged into the fray — chaos erupting in all directions as gang members attempted a retreat, dropping smoke pellets and hollering garbled codenames. But the backup hadn’t stopped arriving. A low hum vibrated in the air.

Steel Soldier arrived last, skimming above the wreckage in a jetpack built into his armored spine. He landed beside Don with a heavy thud, his visor scanning in infrared.

 

“I’ll handle the vault entrance. Keep the officers away from heavy fire.”

 

Don nodded, though his eyes flicked warily at the newcomer’s bulky frame. As the three heroes surged into battle, Aikan arrived in the shadows, watching from behind a scorched police van. The ruckus had gone on for too long — he’d known he’d run into Don. And there he was. Don was moving with uncanny agility, too fast for any normal man. Too familiar.

 

Aikan’s breath caught in his throat. “You really kept it.”

 

Inside the gold vault corridor, the situation was turning. The Skele Grow Gang had laced the halls with trap wires and time-delay gases. Even SuperApe wheezed under the chemical mist. Panthera Prince collapsed after dodging a cascade of falling steel beams — a trap he nearly evaded. Steel Soldier bore the brunt of a blast meant for the main vault doors, his armor half-torn, sparks trailing behind him. Don moved to retreat — he could feel the shift. They were losing.

 

But before he could activate the Topaz Tiger belt beneath his uniform, a hand yanked him back. It was Aikan.

“Don’t. Not here,” Aikan hissed, eyes wild. “You’ll compromise everything.”

Don pulled free. “They need me—!”

“They have SuperApe. Panthera. Steel Soldier. If you transform now, everyone will know.”

“I don’t care if they know!”

“I do!” Aikan shoved him. “That belt isn’t yours!”

 

The shove turned into a punch. Don blocked, barely, and returned one of his own. Fists flew between the two under a shattered awning, unnoticed amidst the smoke and shouting. Steel Soldier stumbled toward them moments later, his armor visibly damaged, having witnessed part of the fight.

 

“You two done?” he asked, voice modulated but annoyed.

“Stay out of it,” Don muttered.

“They just emptied the vault.”

 

That shut them up. Steel Soldier turned toward the flaming horizon. “We lost tonight.”

Hours later, only wreckage remained. Police drones buzzed overhead. Paramedics loaded up the injured. The gang had disappeared into the night with millions in gold.

Superintendent Josh stood silently as Captain Ash lowered his head beside him.

Ash muttered, “We failed.”

 

Josh didn’t reply immediately. He just stared at the horizon, jaw clenched. From the corner of his eye, he spotted a skinny man speaking to Sergeant Don in an agitated manner. His curiosity piqued but the sense of exhaustion set in. He knew he wanted to take his disappointment out on Ash, who looked equally down.

“You don’t need that belt anymore,” Aikan growled at Don, his voice quiet but firm. “You’re already a hero. You became a cop. You chose to protect people.”

 

Don looked away. “You wouldn’t get it—”

 

“No,” Aikan snapped, stepping closer. “I do. More than anyone. That belt was mine, and I lost it. But I didn’t lose what made me a fighter. And neither did you.”

 

Don’s jaw tightened. He stared down at the ground, then at the crowd of civilians behind the barricade. Don touched the belt under his coat. A strange weight to it now.

 

“You were never meant to carry this burden,” Aikan said softly. “You tried… but the mask doesn't make the man. You do.”

For a long moment, Don said nothing.

Then, slowly, he unclipped the belt.

He held it out to Aikan.

“Take it back.”

Aikan gripped it with both hands, as if reuniting with something lost.

“Don…” he added, more gently now, “You’ve always been righteous. Don’t forget that.”

Don gave a faint smile, pain and relief flickering behind his eyes. “Thanks for reminding me.”

The two men stood there a moment longer — no longer opponents, not quite allies, but something close.

Chapter 13: Unaligned

Aikan stood in front of the mirror of his modest apartment, his fingers lingering on the buckle like it was an old friend that had suddenly forgotten his name. The belt, once warm and pulsing with power, now felt… cold. Distant. Still, he buckled it on with a determined click.

 

Golden energy crawled up his torso and across his limbs, assembling into the familiar armor of Topaz Tiger. He took a deep breath as the power surged through him, but it wasn’t the same. His balance was slightly off. His reflexes — just a heartbeat slower. His breathing grew labored faster as he traversed the rooftops. But he pushed forward anyway.

That night, the city skyline was veiled in clouds, and crime crept out with the mist. Aikan intercepted a call — BatFreak was spotted abducting another teen in the shipping district. The warehouse was drenched in low-hanging fog and the scent of rust and oil. Aikan kicked open the side door, eyes scanning through his visor until they landed on the hulking, contorted figure of BatFreak. The villain crouched on a stack of crates, holding a trembling teenager by the collar.

"Let the kid go," Topaz Tiger growled, stepping forward.

 

BatFreak's long tongue snaked out lazily. Without warning, BatFreak leapt from his perch with a feral screech. Aikan raised his arms to block — but his timing was off. BatFreak slammed into him with full force, pinning him to the ground. Aikan rolled, twisted, and fought, but every strike he threw seemed dulled, clumsy.

The fight didn’t last long. In one swift, grotesque movement, BatFreak wrapped his sinewy limbs around Aikan and knocked him into a pile of crates. Aikan groaned, the breath knocked out of him. Before he could recover, BatFreak pounced again and grabbed the belt.

 

"No!" Aikan shouted, grappling at BatFreak’s fingers.

 

But it was too late — the buckle clicked open, and in an instant, the armor evaporated. The Topaz Tiger was gone. Aikan lay dazed, stripped of power, wearing nothing but his sweat-drenched grey boxer briefs. His pale skin glistened under the harsh warehouse lights, his lean frame trembling from exertion and shame.

 

BatFreak grinned. "Guess the city needs a new hero."

Before BatFreak could land a finishing blow—

 

BatFreak's excitement was palpable, his dick straining against his tight leather pants. "I've always wanted to taste superhero cum," he muttered, his voice thick with lust. He grabbed Aikan's briefs, pulling them down roughly, revealing Aikan's limp and pink cock. BatFreak's hand wrapped around it, jerking it sensually. Aikan's breath hitched, his body betraying him as he responded to the villain's touch, he never knew he would enjoy having a weird beast touch him and almost forgot BatFreak was vermin he swore to take down.

 

Aikan's eyes widened as he felt the pleasure building, but he wasn't ready to give in. He struggled, trying to break free, but BatFreak's grip was tight. Just as Aikan was about to reach his climax, a loud bang echoed through the alley. BatFreak grunted in pain, his grip loosening as he was shot in the shoulder. Sergeant Don,, stood at the alley entrance, his gun still smoking.

 

"Fuck!" BatFreak cursed, his grip on Aikan loosening as he clutched his shoulder. He flew away, disappearing into the night, leaving Aikan panting and exposed.

 

Aikan was embarrassed. Don had entrusted him with the belt willingly and it was obvious he had failed. Don shot a look at the belt glistening in the moonlight and the silence was palpable.

 

Aikan looked up at Sergeant Don, his eyes pleading. "Don, please," he gasped, his voice hoarse with need. "I need to cum. It'll strengthen me. Please, shoot your load all over me."

 

Sergeant Don raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips. "You're asking for it, huh?" he said, his voice gruff. He holstered his gun and unzipped his pants, his thick cock springing free. He stroked it slowly, his eyes never leaving Aikan's body. "You want my cum, hero? You want to be covered in it?"

 

Aikan nodded, his breath coming in ragged gasps. "Yes, please. I need it. I need to be strong again."

 

Sergeant Don's hand moved faster, his grip tightening as he stroked himself. Aikan watched, his eyes wide with anticipation. He could feel the tension building in his own body, his cock throbbing with need. He reached down, stroking himself in time with Sergeant Don's movements.

 

Sergeant Don's breath hitched, his body tensing as he reached his climax. He groaned, his cum spilling out, covering Aikan's body. Aikan moaned, his own orgasm hitting him hard as he stroked himself faster, his body covered in Sergeant Don's cum. He felt the strength returning to his body, his muscles tensing as he came, his cum mixing with Sergeant Don's on his body.

 

Aikan looked up at Sergeant Don, a smirk playing on his lips. "Thanks, Don. I needed that," he said, his voice husky with satisfaction. He stood up, his body glistening with cum, his muscles flexing as he moved. "Now, let's go get that fucking BatFreak."

 

Sergeant Don chuckled, zipping up his pants. "You got it, hero. Let's go."

 

As they walked out of the alley, Aikan's body still tingling with the aftereffects of his orgasm, he couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. He had been defeated,but he knew he had to be strong for the next time he faced BatFreak. He knew he had to be ready for whatever the villain had in store.

[lukecat]

Chapter 14: "Swing First, Regret Later"

The streets of Horizon City pulsed with panic. Sirens wailed through the night, lights flickered across shattered storefronts, and chaos unfolded block by block as the Skele Grow gang swept through the west side. They had grown stronger and more strategic. Supers like Panthera Prince and even Steel Soldier had fallen back from their most recent skirmish, injured or outnumbered.

 

In his cramped bedroom, 19-year-old Bastion tightened the duct tape on his forearm pads and slipped on his self-made silver spandex suit with a hand-painted emblem of a fox head. Around his waist, he cinched a belt with a few pouches of first-aid supplies and pepper spray. His only real weapon was a regulation baseball bat wrapped in reflective tape.

 

“This city needs more than legends,” he muttered to his mirror, jaw clenched. “It needs guts.”

He slipped out the window, climbed down the back pipe, and vanished into the alleys.

 

---

The west side was burning. Cars overturned. Shadows leapt across rooftops — masked gang members laughing, smashing, looting. Bastion ducked low behind a parked van, heart pounding. In the distance, he heard a scream. A woman — cornered by two skeletal thugs.

 

“Now or never.”

 

With trembling hands, Bastion charged, swinging his bat wide. The first blow was awkward but loud enough to draw attention. The gang members reeled.

 

“What the—?”

 

A second swing connected, then a third, but Bastion was sloppy — more adrenaline than training. He staggered as one thug swept his legs out, sending him crashing to the pavement. A heavy boot met his ribs. Another to his back. His bat rolled away.

 

Pain screamed through his spine.

 

“Did you think this was a game, kid?”

 

Suddenly, the gang member was knocked sideways — a sharp blur slicing through the air. A white cape billowed in the smoke. "What the hell?" one of them growled, brandishing a knife.

 

White Hawk had arrived and he didn’t bother with words. He moved with the precision of a seasoned fighter, his fists and feet blurring as he dispatched the thugs one by one. The youth in silver, watched with a mix of awe and annoyance, his fists still clenched as if ready to jump back into the fray. With precise blows and disarming agility, White Hawk disarmed and neutralised the thugs in under a minute. White Hawk’s grip tightened around the wrist of the last thug, who was now whimpering in pain. "You’re reckless. You could’ve gotten yourself killed."

 

Bastion shrugged, his silver spandex glinting in the dim light. "I’m fine. Thanks for the save, though."

 

White Hawk released the thug, who scrambled away, and turned his full attention to Bastion. 

The youth’s bravado was grating, and White Hawk could feel his patience wearing thin. He stepped closer, his towering frame casting a shadow over the smaller figure.

 

"You’re lucky I showed up," White Hawk said, his tone sharp. "Next time, you might not be so fortunate."

 

Bastion crossed his arms, his posture defiant. "I don’t need luck. I just need powers."

 

White Hawk’s brow furrowed beneath his mask. "Powers? You don’t have any, do you?"

Bastion’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t respond.

 

White Hawk’s frustration boiled over. He grabbed Bastion by the shoulders, his grip firm but not painful. "You’re putting yourself in danger for no reason. What’s your problem?"

 

Bastion tried to shrug him off, but White Hawk held him firmly. "Let go of me! I don’t need a lecture from some masked hero." 

 

“You could’ve died,” the hero snapped. “What the hell were you thinking?”

 

“I was thinking someone had to do something,” Bastion shot back, his voice cracking slightly. “The cops are losing. Even Topaz Tiger's gone quiet. Someone has to try.”

 

“Not like this,” White Hawk growled, marching forward.

 

Bastion tried to square up, puffing his chest like a rooster. “I’m not afraid of you.”

"Stay back," White Hawk commanded, his voice deep and commanding, muffled slightly by his mask. "This isn’t your fight."

 

Bastion rolled his eyes, his mask hiding any further expression. "Says who? I can handle myself."

 

White Hawk’s eyes narrowed, and without warning, he ripped the mask from Bastion’s face. The youth’s features were revealed—sharp jawline, defiant gaze, and a smirk that White Hawk found both irritating and familiar.

 

"Bastion," White Hawk whispered, recognition dawning on him. "I should’ve known. You’re the one I saved from BatFreak last month."

 

Bastion’s smirk faltered, replaced by a scowl. "Yeah, well, thanks again. Now let me go."

 

White Hawk didn’t answer immediately. His grip loosened, and for a second, he just stared. Bastion’s face, for all its bravado, still carried the glow of youth, raw hopefulness, and some stubborn trace of innocence. It caught White Hawk off guard — reminded him of a version of himself that felt lifetimes ago.

 

White Hawk didn’t release him. Instead, he leaned in closer, his breath warm against Bastion’s ear. "You’re lucky I’m in a good mood tonight. Otherwise, I’d teach you a lesson about recklessness."

 

“I... didn’t expect this,” White Hawk said quietly, almost to himself.

 

Bastion’s tone softened, just barely. “Why do you care so much?”

 

There was a pause — long, weighty — filled only by the distant wail of sirens. Bastion’s eyes widened, and he tried to pull away, but White Hawk’s grip was unyielding. "What the hell are you doing?"

 

Without warning, White Hawk pressed his lips against Bastion’s, forcing his tongue into the younger man’s mouth. Bastion struggled, but White Hawk held him firmly, his other hand tangling in Bastion’s hair to keep him in place. The kiss was rough, demanding, and filled with a raw intensity that left Bastion breathless when White Hawk finally pulled away.

 

"W-what was that?" Bastion stammered, his cheeks flushed.

.

White Hawk smirked, his voice low and husky. "A reminder that you’re not invincible. And a taste of what you’ve been missing."

 

Bastion’s eyes darted around, as if searching for an escape, but White Hawk’s presence was overwhelming. "I don’t know what you’re talking about."

 

White Hawk’s smirk widened. "Oh, but I think you do. You want powers, don’t you? You want to be like me."

 

Bastion’s gaze dropped to the ground, his voice barely above a whisper. "Maybe."

 

White Hawk’s grip tightened, his tone turning serious. "There’s a price for that kind of power. Are you willing to pay it?"

 

Bastion looked up, his eyes meeting White Hawk’s. "What do I have to do?"

 

White Hawk’s gaze was intense, his voice a low rumble. "You have to trust me. Completely."

Bastion hesitated, his bravado wavering. "What does that mean?"

 

White Hawk’s hand moved down, gripping Bastion’s hip firmly. "It means surrendering to me. Letting me take control."

 

Bastion’s breath hitched, his body tense. "I don’t know if I can—"

 

White Hawk cut him off with another kiss, this one softer but no less demanding. "You can. And you will. If you want what I’m offering."

 

Bastion’s resistance crumbled, his hands coming up to clutch at White Hawk’s shoulders. "Okay. I’ll do it."

 

White Hawk pulled back slightly, his eyes searching Bastion’s. "Are you sure? There’s no turning back."

 

Bastion nodded, his voice steady. "I’m sure."

 

White Hawk’s smirk returned, and he began to lead Bastion towards an abandoned building.. "Good. Because the only way I know to give you what you want is to take what I need."

 

Bastion’s heart raced as White Hawk pressed him against a wall, his body heat a stark contrast to the chill of the night. "What do you need?"

 

White Hawk’s hands moved to the zipper of Bastion’s spandex suit, his voice a whisper. "I need you to submit. To let me claim you."

 

Bastion’s breath quickened, his body trembling with anticipation. "How?"

 

White Hawk’s eyes darkened with desire. "On your knees. And then, I’ll take you from behind."

 

Bastion’s cheeks flushed, but he nodded, his voice barely audible. "Okay."

 

White Hawk helped Bastion to his knees, his hands guiding the younger man’s head down. "Good boy. Now, stay still."

 

Bastion’s heart pounded in his chest as White Hawk unzipped his own suit, revealing his hardened length. He reached down, gripping Bastion’s chin firmly. "Open your mouth."

 

Bastion obeyed, his lips parting as White Hawk thrust forward, filling his mouth with his thick cock. Bastion gagged slightly, but White Hawk held him in place, his thrusts slow and deliberate.

 

"That’s it," White Hawk murmured, his voice thick with desire. "Take it all."

 

Bastion did his best to comply, his hands coming up to grip White Hawk’s hips as he adjusted to the intrusion. White Hawk’s taste was bitter, but the power dynamic was intoxicating. After several minutes, White Hawk pulled back, his breath ragged. "Enough for now. Time for the next part."

 

Bastion swallowed, his voice hoarse. "What’s next?"

White Hawk helped Bastion to his feet, turning him around and pressing him against the wall. "This."

 

Before Bastion could respond, White Hawk’s hands were on his hips, pulling him back against the older man’s body. Bastion felt White Hawk’s hardness pressing against his ass, and his breath hitched in anticipation.

 

"Relax," White Hawk whispered, his lips brushing against Bastion’s ear. "It’ll hurt at first, but you’ll like it."

 

Bastion nodded, his body tense as White Hawk’s fingers teased his entrance. "I trust you."

White Hawk’s grip tightened, his voice a low growl. "Good. Because I’m not stopping until I’ve claimed you completely."

 

With that, White Hawk thrust forward, his cock breaching Bastion’s tight hole. Bastion cried out, the pain sharp and intense, but White Hawk held him firmly, his lips pressing against Bastion’s neck to muffle the sound.

 

"Shh," White Hawk whispered, his breath warm against Bastion’s skin. "It’ll get better, I promise."

 

Bastion nodded, his body adjusting to the intrusion as White Hawk began to move, his thrusts slow and deliberate. The pain gradually gave way to pleasure, and Bastion moaned softly, his hands gripping the wall for support.

 

"That’s it," White Hawk murmured, his voice thick with desire. "Take it all. Let me give you what you need."

 

Bastion’s body moved in sync with White Hawk’s, the pleasure building with each thrust. White Hawk’s hands gripped his hips tightly, his movements becoming more urgent as he chased his own release.

 

"You feel so good," White Hawk groaned, his voice hoarse. "So tight. So perfect."

 

Bastion’s breath came in short gasps, his body on the brink of orgasm. "I—I’m close."

 

White Hawk’s thrusts quickened, his voice a low growl. "Come for me, Bastion. Let me see it."

 

Bastion cried out, his body trembling as he came, his release coating the wall in front of him. White Hawk followed shortly after, his cock pulsing inside Bastion as he emptied himself into the younger man.

 

For a moment, they stood there, breathless and entwined, before White Hawk pulled back, his hands gently guiding Bastion to turn around.

 

"Are you okay?" White Hawk asked, his voice soft.

 

Bastion nodded, his cheeks flushed. "Yeah. That was... intense."

 

As Bastion zipped his suit back up, White Hawk disappeared without a trace, leaving him exhausted with the hero’s cum still in his anus. Was coming in him the way White Hawk had transferred some powers to him? He did not feel different and only time will tell.  

[lukecat]

Chapter 15: red sky at night

The rusted gates of the old Halley & Sons textile factory slammed open with a metallic groan. Inside, floodlights flickered to life — and within seconds, chaos erupted. A streak of amber slammed into a goon, sending him flying into a pile of empty crates. The masked figure of Topaz Tiger flipped through the shadows, his claws gleaming and movement precise, almost feline. Sergeant Don, ducked behind a row of weaving machines, gun holstered, baton out.

 

“Right flank! They've got modified dart rifles!” Don shouted over the factory clamour.

 

“I see them,” Topaz Tiger called back, his voice distorted slightly by his mask. He vaulted up the mezzanine, disarming two smugglers in quick, elegant blows. Below, Don charged low and fast, knocking out a third thug with a well-placed sweep of his baton. This wasn't their first raid together — and it showed. Where the vigilante struck fear and chaos, Don worked with surgical clarity. Each had learned the rhythm of the other: where Topaz leapt, Don followed. Where Don signaled, Topaz adapted.

 

They had been sharing intel for weeks, communicating through encrypted lines and midnight rendezvous. And, when the situation demanded it, they even shared the Topaz Tiger belt — a relic of mysterious origin that enhanced strength, agility, and focus, responding to the integrity of its wearer. It was unusual. Dangerous even. But somehow, it worked. Tonight was another victory — a key Skele Grow operation dismantled, crates of smuggled weapons seized, and most of the gang neutralized.

 

As the sirens of backup units approached in the distance, Don wiped sweat from his brow. “You’re getting showier,” he teased.

Topaz Tiger turned, his silhouette sharp against the industrial glow. “Or maybe you’re just getting too good to need saving.”

They stood in the quiet aftermath. And then Don broke the silence.

 

“Aikan,” he said, softly, using the vigilante’s real name, “I want to bring Jae in. I trust him. More than anyone. He could... help. Maybe even wear the belt. Just for emergencies.”

 

Aikan’s jaw tensed beneath the mask. “You think you can trust someone with the belt that easily?”

 

“No,” Don admitted. “But I trust him. And it’s not about ease — it’s about surviving. We’re stretching thin. You know it.”

 

The pause was long. Then Aikan nodded, slowly.

 

“Alright. Let’s grow the circle. But do it your way.”

 

The next evening, steam curled in the precinct’s gym shower room. Jae, lean and toned from hours of training, stood under the hot stream, humming to himself and letting the water relax his body.

 

From the tiled corridor, Don crept up silently, a grin spreading across his face. The familiar Topaz Tiger belt was slung in his hand.

“Hey Jae,” he called playfully.

 

Jae barely turned — “What?”

 

Don reached forward and snapped the belt around Jae’s bare waist.

 

A pulse of red light surged through the shower. Jae gasped. His body arched as ancient energy crackled around him. The light rippled across his skin — then stilled.

 

When he opened his eyes, they glowed faintly.

 

“…Don?” Jae whispered, startled.

 

Don smirked. “Surprise.”

—

The conference room in Horizon City HQ buzzed with restrained anticipation. Superintendent Josh, always a man of few but deliberate words, stood straight-backed in his crisp blues.

 

“Sergeant Don Lim,” he began, fixing his eyes on the lean, sharp-featured officer standing before him, “in the past six months, your strategic coordination with enhanced allies, flawless field leadership, and tireless pursuit of justice have made a measurable dent in Skele Grow’s spread.”

 

He opened a velvet box.

 

“As of today, you are hereby promoted to Inspector Don Lim. Effective immediately.”

 

Polite applause followed, but Josh leaned in close as he fastened the insignia.

 

“You’re on a bigger board now. More freedom, yes—but more eyes. You play this game well, Don. Don’t let me regret giving you longer reins.”

 

Don nodded, jaw set, the weight of new responsibility sinking in.

 

Later that night, the clank of iron and the thump of heavy bags echoed through the empty precinct gym. Don and Jae were alone, shirtless, slick with sweat and silent between sets. Jae’s broad frame strained under a weighted pull-up bar, muscles taut with motion.

 

“So,” Jae said between breaths, “Inspector Lim now.”

 

Don snorted. “Feels weird. Doesn’t change much.”

 

“It does. You can push policy, shift assignments, even… build a unit around people you trust.”

 

There was a pause.

 

“Inspector Lim.”

Jae leaned back on the bench press, a playful grin stretching across his face as he tossed Don a towel. “Sounds weird. Still getting used to it.”

 

Don smirked and wiped the sweat off his neck. “Yeah, I liked Sergeant better. Had more grit.”

 

“You just miss yelling ‘Sergeant Lim reporting!’ like you were in a war movie.”

 

“Hey, that got things done.”

 

They both chuckled, the easy rhythm of gym banter comforting after the chaos of field ops. The precinct gym was mostly empty, lit only by the overhead fluorescents and the glow of vending machine LEDs humming in the corner.

 

“Seriously though,” Jae said, sitting up and resting his arms on his knees. “You earned it. You’ve been running nonstop. Operations. Debriefs. Working with—what—three supers now?”

 

Don nodded. “Topaz Tiger, White Hawk, and… SuperApe, when he feels like showing up.”

 

Jae narrowed his eyes. “You’re still dodging what happened that night.”

 

Don exhaled, a slow grin creeping onto his face. “I’m not dodging. I’m just… giving you space.”

 

Jae looked away. “It felt unreal.”

 

“It was like my body drank a lightning bolt,” Jae said, voice lower now. “My skin glowed red, like lava under pressure. My arms—everything—was stronger, heavier, but not in a bad way.”

 

Don nodded. “You moved like a tank. Faster than Aikan. Hit harder too.”

 

Jae looked at his hands. “I could feel it in my bones. Like I wasn’t me. Or maybe… more than me.”

 

“The belt didn’t just react—it adapted,” Don said. “You didn’t become another Topaz Tiger. You became something new.”

 

“Then why haven’t you asked me to put it on again?”

 

Don hesitated, then shrugged. “I wasn’t sure you’d want to. It was intense.”

 

Jae chuckled. “It was like... every cell in me finally woke up. I haven’t stopped thinking about it.”

 

A beat passed. The gym felt quieter.

“You think it’s dangerous,” Jae guessed.

 

“I think we should take our time. Understand what you are when you wear it. But yeah... I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t tempted to bring you back into the field.”

 

Jae stood, stretching his arms. “Well, you’re Inspector now. You get to build your team.”

 

Don looked up at him. “Yeah. And I want it to be with people I trust.”

 

Their eyes locked—familiar, but now slightly charged.

 

Jae grinned, pulling down his sweatpants to reveal a pair of worn white briefs that had seen better days. The fabric clung to his lean, muscular frame, the faint outline of his bulge visible through the thin material. Don’s gaze lingered for a moment longer than necessary, his throat suddenly dry. He cleared his throat, handing over the belt. "Here. But don’t blame me if you end up with superpowers you can’t control."

 

Jae took the belt, his fingers brushing against Don’s as he did. "Don’t worry, Inspector. I’ll handle it." He wrapped the belt around his waist, the metallic buckle clicking into place. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, a faint red glow began to emanate from the belt, spreading across Jae’s body like wildfire. His eyes closed, his head tilted back as the energy surged through him.

 

Don watched, transfixed, as Jae’s body began to transform. His muscles expanded, his skin taking on a subtle crimson hue. The glow intensified, casting an otherworldly light across the gym. But it was the scent—a heady mix of ozone and something uniquely Jae—that caught Don off guard. It was intoxicating, primal, and it stirred something deep within him.

Before he could stop himself, Don took a step forward, his gaze fixed on the bulge in Jae’s briefs. It was larger now, straining against the fabric as if the transformation had awakened something else entirely. Jae’s eyes snapped open, his breath coming in short, sharp gasps. "Don… what are you—?"

 

Don didn’t answer. Instead, he dropped to his knees, his fingers brushing against the waistband of Jae’s briefs. Jae’s breath hitched, his hands instinctively tangling in Don’s hair as he leaned down. "Don’t stop," he murmured, his voice thick with desire.

 

Don didn’t need to be told twice. He pressed his lips to the bulge, his tongue tracing the outline of Jae’s length through the thin fabric. Jae groaned, his hips bucking slightly as the red glow intensified. Don pulled the briefs down, revealing Jae’s thick, throbbing cock. It pulsed with the same crimson energy that coursed through his body, and Don couldn’t resist any longer. He wrapped his lips around the head, his tongue swirling as he took Jae in.

Jae’s hands tightened in Don’s hair, his body trembling with the effort of holding back. "Fuck, Don… if you keep that up, I’m gonna—"

 

"Do it," Don muttered around Jae’s cock, his eyes locked on Jae’s face. "Let go."

 

Jae’s control shattered. With a guttural cry, he thrust his hips forward, his cock twitching as he came. Don swallowed greedily, his throat working as he took every drop. The taste was unlike anything he’d ever experienced—bitter and sweet, with a metallic edge that he couldn’t get enough of. Jae’s cum seemed endless, flooding Don’s mouth until he was choking, gasping for air.

 

Jae pulled back, his body still glowing faintly as he caught his breath. "Shit… that was…"

Don coughed, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "Yeah," he managed, his voice hoarse. "That was something."

 

Jae smirked, his confidence returning as he pulled his briefs back up. "Told you I was more powerful than your Topaz Tiger."

 

Don stood, his heart still pounding as he met Jae’s gaze. "Maybe," he conceded, his voice low. "But we’re not done yet."

[lukecat]

Chapter 16: Solo vengeance

Aikan crouched on the edge of the library roof, his sharp eyes fixed on the dormitory courtyard below. The cool night air clung to his skin beneath the Topaz Tiger armour. There had been no dispatch from Don. No tactical squad. No fallback net. This was personal.

BatFreak had humiliated him the last time. Taken him by surprise, toyed with him, and left him bruised, breathless and ashamed.. That loss had festered deep inside Aikan, and made him doubt his own belief in his super alter ego, more than he let on. He had something to prove—not to Don, not to the police, but to himself.

 

Aikan heard it before he saw it: the flutter of abnormally large wings and the gasp of someone struggling. His eyes flicked toward the dimly lit pavement of Horizon University’s west garden. A young man was being dragged across the floor by something barely human. Topaz Tiger sprang from the rooftop in a graceful arc, landing silently on the stone tiles below. BatFreak looked up, eyes gleaming from the shadows. 

Aikan stepped forward slowly, keeping his stance low and wide. “Let him go, BatFreak.”

 

The victim whimpered as BatFreak’s claws hovered near his throat.

 

Aikan didn’t respond. He charged. Their clash was brutal and fast. Topaz Tiger moved with focused precision, claws whirling, strikes calculated. BatFreak was wilder, driven by rage and something else—an animal instinct perhaps. The two danced across the courtyard, rolling and tumbling through overgrown shrubs and shattered benches.

 

BatFreak tried to humiliate him again, dealing serious damage to his armour and Aikan broke out in cold sweat underneath his suit. But Aikan had learned. Instead of recoiling, he leaned into the grapple, locking BatFreak’s joints with sharp precision and slamming him into the pavement. His claws clicked against a vital pressure point.

 

“I’m not scared,” Aikan said, breath heavy. “Not of you.”

 

BatFreak gasped. For the first time, Aikan heard a somewhat familiar voice from the creature. 

 

“Wait... wait...”

 

Aikan froze.

 

“I need it,” the creature whispered. “The belt. Please.”

 

Aikan’s brows furrowed. He gave the ugly monster a second look. 

“I wasn’t supposed to be like this,” BatFreak choked. “You... You don’t recognize me, do you?”

Something sharp twisted in Aikan’s gut.

 

“Put the belt on me,” BatFreak pleaded. How would he have known about the belt? 

 

Cautiously, Aikan reached for his waist. He unbuckled the Topaz Tiger belt, still warm with his energy, and clipped it around BatFreak’s waist despite what was at stake. The response was almost instantaneous. Aikan’s armour dissolved, revealing the lean man in bright red briefs. But the moment the belt was put on BatFreak, the monster started reducing in size and a human face replaced the creature’s fangs and snout.

Lying there, naked, bruised, and unconscious on the ground was a man Aikan had been hunting the past few months. Aikan staggered backward, stunned. 

 

“Dr. Aleck?” Aikan whispered.

 

Aleck looked up, eyes trembling with disbelief. “You… saved me,” he murmured. “The belt—it… stabilized the transformation. For the first time… I’m me again.”

 

“You were BatFreak,” Aikan said carefully, scanning the area for onlookers. “You kidnapped someone. Tried to fight me again. What the hell happened to you?”

 

Aleck groaned, collapsing onto a nearby bench, arms curled around his bare torso. “I… I didn’t think it would go this far. After you asked me for more power, after your body started adapting beyond my projections, I pushed my experiments further than I ever should have. I thought I could break through the barriers of human potential, thought I could push the Topaz Tiger tech beyond.”

 

He laughed bitterly. “Instead, I became him.”

 

Aikan crossed his arms, unsure if the anger or guilt in him burned hotter. “You turned yourself into a monster.”

Aleck looked up, voice taut with a shred of desperation. “I didn’t mean to. But I couldn’t stop. The lab became my prison. I’d black out for hours. Days. I think I was BatFreak more often than not. But the Topaz Tiger tech—it kept me grounded. You putting it on me just now… it cut through the rage. It brought me back.”

 

Unknown to either of them, hidden in the shadows behind a grove of fig trees, a phone camera lens peeked out — the student victim, Bradley, crouched low in disbelief. His hands trembled as he recorded every word. Aleck just realising he was butt naked on campus exclaimed, “We need to go to the lab. Now. Before I slip again.”

 

“Can we reverse this?”

 

Aleck's eyes flicked toward the belt. “Maybe. I’ve got backup stabilizers and gene isolators stored. If I can study the belt’s energy signature while it’s still active… we might be able to isolate the BatFreak genome.”

 

The two men slipped out into the night, moving quickly toward the university’s bioscience building. Bradley, eyes narrowed, waited thirty seconds before stepping out from his hiding spot. His phone screen glowed faintly in the dark, the video file saved. Without hesitation, he followed them, silent as a shadow. He didn’t know why. Maybe it was fear. Maybe curiosity.

 

Aikan and Dr. Aleck moved quickly. Aleck was naked besides the Topaz Tiger belt tightly secured around his waist — the only thing preventing the monstrous force within from breaking through. The belt shimmered with a low amber glow, resonating faintly with each heartbeat. Aleck grunted as he pulled on a lab coat, careful not to disturb the belt. “The stabilizing effects are temporary at best. I’ve been able to suppress the BatFreak mutation with the belt’s energy field, but it’s like taping over a leak in a dam.”

 

Aikan followed closely, frowning. “You’re telling me the belt’s holding the beast in check — but it’s also amplifying your unstable form?”

“Yes,” Aleck said grimly. “The belt is designed to bond with heroic energy signatures. In my corrupted state, it’s constantly resisting… and that friction builds pressure.”

 

Aikan cursed under his breath. “Why didn’t you tell me this before?”

 

“Because you needed a mentor, not a monster,” Aleck snapped. Then, softer: “And I was arrogant. I thought I could push the boundaries of what it meant to be a hero.”

 

They moved to a reinforced sub-lab. Around them blinked canisters of gene-editing agents, a suspended cryo chamber, and tanks of recombinant plasma.

 

“Sit,” Aikan ordered.

 

Aleck obeyed, slumping onto the cold steel slab. Sweat glistened on his brow. The golden belt around his waist pulsed with unease. Aikan activated the containment field and pulled up Aleck’s vital readings. His brain activity was erratic, heart rate, unstable. The BatFreak genome was fluctuating between remission and eruption every thirty seconds.

 

“We need to isolate the mutation signature,” Aikan muttered, glancing over his shoulder at a workstation. “Then reprogram the belt’s output to stabilize the human form, not just suppress the beast.”

 

“There's no time to perfect that,” Aleck groaned. “I’ve tried. Every formula just aggravates the duality.”

 

Unbeknownst to them, Bradley had quietly slipped into the lab again, hiding behind a rack of cooling injectors. He stared, eyes wide, still clutching the phone he used to record the garden incident. Back in the lab, Aikan adjusted the resonance chamber linked to the belt. “We’re going to use harmonic phase binding. If I can link your human neural pattern to the belt’s frequency—”

 

“No!” Aleck gasped. “That could cause a polarity split. You’d—”

 

Suddenly, the belt flared. Aleck convulsed, gasping as veins darkened across his neck and chest. The golden light fought back — then dimmed. Then flared again. Aikan stared in horror. Aleck growled, his voice distorting. The belt pulsed violently. Aikan reached for the console, but in his panic, he selected the neural sync override. The wrong protocol.

 

The containment field shattered and Aleck’s body twisted — bones cracking, skin rupturing, muscle stretching in grotesque mutation. The belt surged with gold and black lightning as the form of BatFreak reemerged — bigger, stronger, veins pulsing with corrupted power now partially fused with the heroic essence of the Topaz Tiger. Aikan barely ducked as BatFreak let out a shriek and lashed out — claws tearing through reinforced steel like paper. Aikan tumbled backwards, slamming into a rack of syringes. Without the belt, he was just Aikan, human and frail. BatFreak loomed over him, a terrible fusion of brilliance and madness.

 

“You couldn’t fix me,” the monster hissed. “But I found my answer. I don’t need suppression—I need ascension.”

 

Before the killing blow could fall—Bradley, wide-eyed and desperate, grabbed a bundle of glowing injectors and hurled them at the beast. Two shattered on BatFreak’s mutated shoulder, sizzling as unstable compounds entered his bloodstream. He screeched in rage and agony, turning toward the student, giving Aikan just enough time to crawl away. But his balance wavered. The injections were slowing him. Damaging him. Still, with a thunderous crash, BatFreak burst through the lab wall and disappeared into the night, a shadow of golden and black horror fleeing into the city. The Topaz Tiger belt was still latched to his monstrous form.

 

Bradley rushed to Aikan’s side, terrified and shaking. “He… he’s going to kill people, isn’t he?”

 

Aikan stared after the hole in the wall, his own heart pounding in fear and guilt.

 

“Yes,” he whispered. “And this time, we don’t have the belt to stop him.”

[lukecat]

Chapter 17: Baby Tiger

Bradley paced. “We don’t have time, Aikan. BatFreak is out there.”

 

“I know,” Aikan muttered, sweat glistening on his brow. “But we don’t have the Topaz Tiger belt. And without it, I’m just... a guy.”

Bradley crossed his arms. “Then let’s make something new.”

 

That was all Aikan needed to hear. Fueled by urgency, he started pulling out genetic centrifuges, running tests with the samples he'd salvaged — a vial of BatFreak's blood taken during the scuffle and a sliver of his own DNA from when he last wore the belt.

 

“If there’s any essence left from the Topaz belt’s bond with my body… maybe we can decant it. Extract something usable.”

 

The two worked feverishly, splicing genomes like a seasoned chef gutting a fish. When the machine dinged, Aikan’s heart raced. The result wasn't a serum. It wasn’t an energy crystal. It was… slime. A strange, viscous amber slime.

 

“It’s—alive?” Bradley blinked as the substance pulsed faintly. Aikan pinched his nose, took a deep breath, and before Bradley could stop him, scooped a fingerful and swallowed it.

 

He immediately doubled over, retching. But as he heaved into the sink, the slime slid of its own accord toward Bradley, almost curious. It climbed up the boy’s shoe, stretching like warm honey and slithered along his legs first, encasing them in slow, deliberate spirals — hugging his thighs, calves, and ankles with almost sentient precision. He could feel every shift of the membrane, like warm breath rolling across his skin. It climbed higher, swirling across his torso, then arching over his lower back. Every inch felt like a caress.

 

“It likes you,” Aikan breathed. “It's… bonding.”

 

Bradley looked at his hands that felt like it was covered in an amber glue. “What now? Is it… supposed to feel like this?”

 

“It’s syncing with your nerves,” Aikan said, clearing his throat. “The belt never did that to me — not like this.”

 

Bradley let out a shaky exhale. The membrane reached his chest and wrapped around it tightly — highlighting the curve of his pecs, the lines of his abdomen. He flexed instinctively, and the suit responded, firming up, like it was impressed.

 

The contact grew more intense as it spread across his arms and shoulders. A sudden rush of heat bloomed inside him. Not discomfort — but energy. Confidence. Every muscle felt activated, alert, like the suit was whispering to him, You are strong. You are worthy. The slime also seemed to burn the clothes off Bradley, now almost every inch of his body was visible to Aikan, including his buttcrack and nipples, now erect. Uncontrollably, Bradley felt blood rush to his penis and he got a raging hard on from the power surge.

 

Aikan turned away instinctively, trying to give him privacy, but he stole a glance — unable to help himself. The fluid shimmer of the proto-suit drew the eye. It was like watching power bloom in real time — raw, responsive, intimate. Bradley wasn’t just wearing the suit. It was choosing him. However, the suit was hardly as perfect as Topaz Tiger’s version, some parts of his skin was left uncovered and patchy.

 

When the slime reached his neck, he tilted his head back. A final ripple swept upward, as if the suit had taken a deep breath and was now… alive. The lab’s stale air suddenly felt electric. Bradley looked down at himself. The armor didn’t shine like Topaz Tiger’s had, but it shimmered with potential, pulsing faintly with his heartbeat. It wasn’t finished, but it was real. Then Aikan approached him, holding the helmet — a relic of his own past.

 

“You’ll need to cover your identity. This is the first prototype of the Topaz Tiger helmet that we kept in the back of the lab. I never thought I would be placing it on somebody else.” Aikan said softly. “You’re not quite Topaz Tiger, but the bones of its inception. At least that’s what your suit reminds me of.”

Bradley knelt instinctively and said, “Well, seeing how the ribs part is incomplete, it’s really just tiger bones.” Aikan placed the helmet over his head slowly, fingers lingering for a moment on the sides before letting go.

 

Click.

 

The world sharpened. Inside the helmet, Bradley’s senses spiked. He could hear the humming of machinery like it was orchestral music. He could feel vibrations from the city outside, like his skin had tuned into a wider frequency. His breathing synced with the soft pulses of the suit, and for a brief second, he felt invincible. TigerBones stood, taller than before.

 

Aikan stepped back, smiling in quiet awe. “How do you feel?”

 

Bradley’s voice came through the modulator — deeper, resonant.

 

“Like my body’s not just mine anymore. Like I’ve been… awakened.”

 

The air between them crackled with silent understanding. The lab lights had dimmed, humming gently as the ambient glow of the containment tanks flickered across the walls. Most of the machines had gone quiet, save for the occasional soft beep from the vitals monitor still tethered to the suit diagnostics.

Bradley sat on the edge of a workbench, chest rising and falling beneath the golden filaments of the semi-formed TigerBones suit. Aikan turned slightly, his gaze shadowed under the fluorescent haze. “The belt never did that to me. It’s like… the suit bonded with you differently. Responded to who you are.”

Bradley looked down at his arm — still laced with thin bands of golden circuitry that pulsed gently with his breath. “I can feel it even now. Like it knows my body better than I do.”

 

He looked up at Aikan, and their eyes met. The tension snapped taut.

 

“You watched the whole time?” Bradley asked, half a smile playing on his lips.

 

Aikan hesitated, then nodded. “I had to. For science.”

 

Bradley laughed quietly, but it tapered into something gentler. “Felt like more than science.”

 

The air cooled a little as Aikan stepped closer, just a few paces away now. He was quiet for a long moment before speaking again.

“When I first put on the Topaz Tiger belt,” Aikan said softly, “I felt like I had to earn every second of wearing it. Like it would reject me if I faltered.”

He looked at Bradley — the smooth lines of the suit tracing over his collarbone, glowing faintly like it belonged there all along.

 

“But it took to you instantly. Like it knew.”

 

Bradley’s voice dropped lower. “You sound… jealous.”

 

“I’m not,” Aikan said, almost too quickly. Then he corrected, “Maybe I am. Not of the suit. Of how sure you seem in it.”

Bradley slid off the bench, the muscles in his legs tensing as he stood. The suit clung to him with a slick flex, catching the light in quiet glints. He stood a breath away from Aikan now.

 

“I wasn’t sure of anything,” Bradley said, voice rough, low. “Not until you placed the helmet on me.”

 

Aikan looked at Bradley once more. “Let’s go, TigerBones.”

 

–

Aikan’s motorbike roared through the rubble-strewn avenues, weaving past abandoned cars and glowing debris. The city’s skyline pulsed red with emergency lights and flickering fire. Bradley, now clad in the makeshift TigerBones suit, held tight behind him, the fabric fused to his body like a second skin, glowing with unstable energy that rippled across his limbs. In the distance, the sounds of screeching metal, primal growls, and the mechanical whir of broken servos echoed loudly. 

 

“We’re close,” Aikan shouted over the wind. “Get ready!”

 

They skidded to a stop at the edge of the battlefield — and there he was.

 

BatFreak, monstrous and wild, his wings torn but still thrashing with strength. His hide was raked with wounds, but he was far from down. Veins of crimson-black throbbed beneath his skin as he bared jagged teeth at his attackers. On one side, SuperApe struggled to rise, fur matted with blood. One leg buckled as he pushed forward, refusing to stay down.

 

On the other, Steel Soldier’s chestplate flickered erratically. His right gauntlet was gone, torn clean off. Sparks flew from exposed circuits. He gritted his teeth, pressing his remaining arm up in a guard as BatFreak lunged again.

 

“Stay sharp!” Aikan barked. “We’re going in.”

 

TigerBones leapt from the bike, adrenaline pulsing through his veins. His suit coiled tighter, reacting to the urgency. He rushed in with youthful bravado, flanking BatFreak as he raised a clawed hand toward SuperApe.

 

“Hey! Over here, freak!”

 

BatFreak turned and Bradley struck. His punch connected, bursting with kinetic slime energy. BatFreak staggered — for just a moment — before his clawed hand lashed out, faster than the eye.

 

Crack! Bradley was thrown like a ragdoll, slamming into a parked van hard enough to dent the steel. He groaned, blood seeping from his mouth as the reactive film suit sizzled around his body, trying to mend his broken ribs.

 

“TigerBones!” Aikan shouted, his voice raw.

 

He sprinted forward powerless and unarmed reaching his fallen protege just as BatFreak turned, rage glowing in his wild eyes. Aikan stood over Bradley, shielding him with only his body.

 

Then, from above, the wind shifted. A white streak split the sky. White Hawk dropped wings wide and talons gleaming. He collided with BatFreak in midair, the impact shaking the ground.

 

“You’re done terrorizing this city!” he snarled.

 

The two winged figures tore into each other, trading blow after blow. BatFreak screeched, raking his claws down White Hawk’s armour, while White Hawk countered with a spinning aerial kick that sent the beast tumbling. Steel Soldier, lunged forward, pinning BatFreak’s tail. SuperApe followed, landing a heavy punch that cracked the concrete beneath them both.

 

From the edge of the square, military vehicles rumbled in. The National Guard, equipped with sonic stunners, closed in fast. A powerful thud rang out as a sedative dart pierced BatFreak’s shoulder. He howled, staggered and then dropped. A mechanical death grip collar snapped around his neck, dragging him down further. Arms restrained, wings clamped, BatFreak was bound like a titan fallen from the sky.

 

“Secure the asset!” the guard captain shouted. “Move out!”

 

Everyone exhaled. Aikan cradled Bradley, who drifted in and out of consciousness, eyes glazed but fighting. “Hang in there,” Aikan whispered. “You did well. You stood tall.”

 

White Hawk had just landed, clutching his side, blood seeping from beneath his feathers. He was exhausted and wounded but glad the fight was over. From the shadows, a figure dressed in black approached silently and tasered White Hawk’s back. The hero arched in agony, collapsed with a muffled cry. His wings twitched and then the hero fell limp on the pavement, forgotten in the chaos as the other supers licked their wounds from the fierce battle.

[Nivek]

I loved your superhero story!! Had been following it and wondering if there will be an update.

[lukecat]

oooo i thought nobody was interested

[Nivek]

I loved it but I wasn't registered till recently!