Hero X Villain

and pushed it into a slow exhale.  Nic stood on the shore and he let himself enjoy it anyways, even if it was all the same.  The prison was here in his mind too; he was infected to the core.
One foot into the cold water woke him from the dream, and Sebastian Crane was standing at the foot of his bed again.  Nic blinked as he came to and he rubbed his eyes.  He slowly looked up and registered Crane’s presence, and then he jumped a little.  Crane chuckled, a grin crossing his face and a flash of genuine joy filled his eyes.  He looked beautiful when he was gentle.
“I apologize,” Nic said as he tried to blink himself awake.  He rubbed his chest with one hand.  Anxiety kept it tight, and he supposed that losing blood didn’t help.  “What can I help you with?”  That was a good lead.  He’d been taught to do that by Alyson, his main torturer.  She had ice powers and she knew how to use them, and Nic knew that Alyson wanted nothing more than to see him broken when Crane dropped him in her lap.
She’d succeeded.  Crane’s smirk was a good thing.  Nic had a long way to go to earn their trust, to earn Crane’s trust.  He was desperate for even a little freedom, for something.  He didn’t know what he wanted.  Everything, really, but right now he would take something small.  That was all he wanted, and he needed Crane to be happy with him to get it.
“You can stay right there in bed,” Crane said.  His gaze was like that of a hawk, his grey eyes firmly on Nic.  “Your blood saved Alyson and two of her men.  I’m grateful that you didn’t waste time by struggling.”
Nic nodded.  He didn’t really enjoy talking anymore.  There wasn’t anything to talk about, really.  Nic rubbed his eyes again.  He still felt tired no matter how much he slept.  Crane noticed this and pointed at him as the nurse entered.  “Feed him.”
Nic thought she was the sweetest lady ever when she brought him that tray.  It was the greatest tray of food he’d ever seen, and it was beautiful.  There was a little styrofoam bowl of chili and a sandwich and another styrofoam bowl of potato salad and a juice cup, and he’d also been given a pudding cup and a large piece of key lime pie.  Nic was left alone to eat, much to his pleasure.  He knew there were cameras on him, but they at least were hidden enough that he didn’t feel super violated.
He devoured everything as politely as possible, as he was still being watched.  Nic kept up a good streak of being a Good Boy ™ by Crane’s standards, which wasn’t too difficult.  He neatly reassembled the styrofoam and plastic dishes on the tray and set it on the bed tray attachment.  That was the least rubbery meal he’d had in a long time.  It was still hospital food, but it was better hospital food.  Nic thought the pie was perfect, actually.  He made a little goal in his head, to eat more key lime pie again.  It’s good to have one goal, right?  Is that pathetic of me?
He sat alone in the dim room.  It was very quiet here, and Nic looked down and pondered his restraints.  He wondered how long he’d been in these particular ones.  Something in them kept his powers at bay, but in reality it was his fear that controlled him.  Crane could bomb entire cities if Nic went out of line, and that kept him from acting up far more than any threat to his person.  Still, Nic craved freedom.  He hadn’t been much more of a puppet for the League either.  He regretted joining, as then Crane wouldn’t have ever found him.
Nic curled back up in bed.  He lay still and his breathing slowed.  He hated how easily tired he got now.  He hated how sleepy he felt all the time.  He hated the drugs that he knew were in the saline, but he could never say anything.  I don’t want to be here, Nic thought.  He missed his apartment with the red door.  He missed the little kitchen window and the cute little electric fireplace and the hot tub style bath.  Nic missed it more than anything, and he wished once more that he could go to a movie and get dinner and live.  He wanted to be happy.  He wanted to wander and drive and walk everywhere and see everything.
Nic wanted tequila.  He really, really did.  And he wanted more pie.  He wanted something that felt like normal again.  I should have just gone for a peaceful life.
What was I thinking, playing the hero?
Where did it get me?
The door opened right as he settled in and he sat up, legs uncurling under the blanket as the nurse came in.  She assessed him and changed out the saline bag again, and she set it to a lower drip so it would last longer.  With the tray in her hands she vanished and Crane took her place.  Nic sat bound in his bed as Crane loomed over him.
“Is Alyson doing alright?”  Nic wanted to be polite.  He was honestly terrified of her, and he wasn’t sure how to feel about the fact she’d been shot, but he knew it was better to at least show concern.
“She’s alright.  Her ego is more bruised than her body,” Crane said.  His eyes softened and his fingers tugged on the restraints.  “You are a sweet thing, aren’t you?”
“That’s kind of you to say,” Nic said somewhat quickly after a pause.  He lowered his head, his face flushing a little.  Crane stroked the strap over his wrist.  Nic’s throat tightened and he looked away.
“I can give you some of what you miss,” Crane said.  “I’ll even let you go for an entire day.”
“An