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Quackity knew he couldn't really run forever. It was only a matter of time. He was on Freeze Tag's turf after all. You can't exactly outsmart and outrun a villain on their own territory. That's now how things work."Hermes! Doll! You know you can't run from me, pretty shrike~"Maybe he can't but that doesn't mean he sure as hell can't try. He didn't name himself after a speedy messenger god of travel for no reason. He was fast and he knew he was.So he just kept running. Quackity forced himself to keep moving even as his legs screamed in protest. Even if it seemed like he was running around and around in circles. Even as more and more blood and broken feathers fell from his wing.He would've been able to escape had he been able to fly. He could outfly the peacock avian any day of the week.He should've known Freeze Tag would be aware of that. He should've seen the arrow aimed for his wing coming.The shrike avian blinked, vision going blurry as his world tilted.He hit the ground with a thud, unable to move even a twitch of a muscle anymore. His wing was burning in pure agony, exhaustion weighing him down.Quackity would normally make a joke about adding another scar from Freeze Tag to his collection but…He doesn't think he's going to wake up this time."There you are doll. Almost made it too. Such a strong little bird, aren't you?"The hero shut his eyes tightly, bracing for a strike or some kind of pressure. A kick, something dropped on him. Anything.Instead the shrike avian heard the rustling of clothes and felt a hand card through his hair."You fought as hard as you could, I know you did. But it’s alright now, Hermes. You don’t have to fight anymore.”Quackity wished he could flinch away from the villain’s gloved hand, but he really couldn’t. He felt like his entire body had locked up on him as ice cold fear ran through his system. His instincts cowered, freezing up just as much as he had. If he didn’t know any better, he’d honestly assume that the villain had used his power on him.But he knew what the taller’s power felt like. This wasn’t it.“Poor thing, you must be so scared right now,” Freeze Tag cooed, shifting and slowly getting his arms around the shorter’s form, lifting him up as if he weighed nothing. “But you’ll be okay now. It was a valiant effort on your part. So busy chasing you that all the others got away.”…Good. That’s all he could possibly want as a hero. As long as those civilians got out.“Yeah that would make you feel better, wouldn’t it?” The peacock avian hummed, beginning to walk. “You really are a hero at heart, aren’t you? Just relax, Quackity, you did your job.”The shrike avian did manage a flinch at that, and if he wasn’t afraid before he definitely was now.“Whoops,” the taller chuckled. “Sorry about that. There I go, tipping my hand. But hey, that doesn’t really matter much anymore, does it? You’re not going anywhere. Not this time.”“You aren’t getting away from me again, doll.”Quackity fought to stay awake but he physically couldn’t as Freeze Tag’s power took hold, a feeling of numbness washing over him as his muscles locked up and stilled.At least the bastard had the decency to freeze him in a comfortable position that wouldn’t cause pain to his already damaged wing.His world went black.He held as still as he could under the villain’s gaze, breath catching in his throat as he tried his best to not flinch at every fleeting touch.“I didn’t do this one,” Freeze Tag muttered, talon tracing over the scar along the shrike avian’s face. “I always wondered about the mask. Why you only covered this part of your face. I thought that it was a theming choice. Because of your card motif… who did this to you?”Quackity kept his mouth shut, lips pressed in a firm line as he tried to not flinch away from the talon positioned directly under his eye. He had trouble seeing out of it, not fully blinded but pretty much useless in most cases regardless. He knew he should’ve just started covering it up with makeup. Same with the scars along his back and arms he had gotten from Freeze Tag through their multiple encounters. Especially the ones on his arms and hands. Gloves and sleeves can only do so much.“Quackity…” The villain trailed off, voice warning. “Who. Did. This.”“I don’t see why it fucking matters,” the shorter bit back, balling his fists as his talons lightly dug into his palms to ground himself. “You’ve done worse. You’ve done so much worse. Left me with scars that even the most talented of healers couldn’t erase. Why am I even alive right now, Freeze? Why haven’t you just killed me yet? Quit fucking dragging it out you coward!”The peacock avian didn’t respond to that at first, eyes scanning over him.Slowly, he pulled away, turning towards a table at their side. There was a glowing pink vial on it that the taller plucked up before turning back to him. He grabbed one of the hero’s hands then, rubbing his thumb and talon over the shrike avian’s wrist until he unclenched his fist. Freeze Tag dropped the vial into his palm then, releasing him at that point.“Drink,” the taller huffed. “For the sake of your wing. You’re probably not going to be able to fly for a while, but you will fly again. Trust me.”“And why would I-”“Because I’m not going to kill you, Quackity,” the villain growled. “If I wanted you dead you’d be dead. You know I don’t tend to keep people alive. You’ve seen what I can do.”Horrible images of blood and terrible injuries flashed through Quackity’s head then, recalling all manner of victims he’s seen the other murder. All the people he’d watched the bastard torture.He hated how creative Freeze Tag could be with his power. All the ways the bastard had used his ability to freeze people in time to torture them. Always in front of him. Always to send a message of some kind.But…Yeah…the villain didn’t make a habit of keeping people alive if they weren’t useful to him in some way. And the shrike avian knew a healing potion when he saw one.“I’m not going to kill you,” the peacock avian insisted, reaching up with both hands to cup his face. “Never you. Not my perfect masterpiece.”Quackity jerked back slightly, his fists clenching again, “You didn’t-I’m not yours. I’m not yours and you didn’t create me.”“Oh? But didn’t I?” Freeze Tag questioned, smirking slightly. “What would you be without me, doll?”The villain’s hands trailed to the shorter’s arms, tracing the scars he had marred the shrike avian’s skin with.“I mean… look at how I’ve painted myself across your skin. Here,” he traced one of the longer ones that curled up to the hero’s shoulder. “Then… here.”The thin lines all over Quackity’s hands.“And…”The hero froze as the peacock avian trailed his talons up to his throat, carefully running over a long scar under the shrike avian’s chin.“Everything you’ve survived, proof of your strength, the story of your victories and losses. You’re so strong,” Freeze Tag concluded. “And what could possibly be more beautiful than that? It’s a shame you feel the need to hide them, even this.”Those cold lavender gloved hands cupped his face again, running over the scar on his face like earlier.“This is proof of something you endured. Something you came back from alive. That, my dear, is why you are a masterpiece.”It was oddly reassuring. Disturbing, but still reassuring. Working to ease his nerves just the slightest amount. When most people saw the scars all he got was pitying stares and sympathetic pats on his shoulders. And most of the time they don’t even see the half of it.Unlike the taller who was probably aware of every single scar he possessed. Considering he was the one who made a majority of them.And yet…he really couldn’t help it. He’s never heard someone talk of his scars fondly before.A smile tugged at Freeze Tag’s lips.“I’ve always been something of a collector. Especially of art.”And just like that, any semblance of comfort vanished.“You’re twisted,” the hero spat.“Tell me something I don’t know, Q.”Quackity shuddered, “How do you know my-”“Shh,” the villain hushed, placing a gloved finger over his lips and leaning closer. “I’ll tell you in time. Now drink your potion, I know you know what it is, pretty shrike. Fix up your wing, I’ll be back to check up on you soon.”And that was all he said before walking out the door.The shrike avian flinched that time when he heard the click of a lock.“Fuck,” he swore, pulling his knees up to his chest after a minute of processing. His talons closed tightly around the health potion, the cool glass working to ground him somewhat.He had half a mind to scream and protest, throw the vial at the wall in and trash everything in the room he was in.But…he knew better.He couldn’t chance his wing getting infected. Or angering Freeze Tag.If he wanted out he’d have to be smart about it.Yeah. Play along. He could do that.Quackity took a deep breath before opening his hand in front of his face, staring at the health potion.He can do this. He can wait it out. He can play along.With a determined nod to himself, the hero slowly opened the vial and drank the health potion.Once he was able to fly…He could do this.He’s Hermes after all. One of the most clever heroes of his era. He could find a way out.…Right?Quackity didn't know how long he had been there.But...that didn't matter anymore.What mattered was the steady hand on his arm, the villain's gaze focused as he painted gold along each thin line on the shrike avian's skin.The former hero chuckled a slight bit, "This is going to be such a hassle to clean later.""The things we sacrifice to look flamboyant and beautiful," Karl wheezed. "This will leave them reeling. You're going to glitter in the sunlight my vicious little ace."The peacock avian shifted up, letting go of his arm and moving the brush up to the scar across the shorter's face."Now hold still doll, this will feel a bit weird."Quackity closed his eyes and damn near started purring as he let the taller paint each nick and scrap with gold. The scar across his eye, the ones along his neck, his arms were positively shining now.And his new villain outfit would leave every single one showing. Except for the ones along his back, because that would just leave a massive target. But every scar that visibly they could show?Painted with gold.With a sleeveless tail coat adored with card suits and each scar turned into a beautiful representation of his strength?The fallen hero truly felt like the masterpiece Karl always claimed him to be.And when he spread his wings in the sun, he remembers all that time ago when the villain promised him that he'd fly again.He wasn't Hermes anymore.And he'd never return to hiding the scars that made him beautiful in the peacock avian's eyes.