Chapter Text
Morning light had begun to glow softly through Curt and Rod. The light draped across your face in a gentle wake up call you couldn't ignore. As soon as your eyes creaked open, you'd sat right up from Betty. You’d rubbed your eyes and stretched, trudging over to Clarence to get dressed for the day. It’d become routine, saying Good Mornings into the air at no one in particular as you slipped on some jeans and a nice dress shirt. You grabbed the dateviators off your nightstand on your way to the bathroom, using a couple of charges to talk with Amir as you combed your hair, and to Barry as you'd brushed your teeth. Padding down the stairs, you used your next couple charges on Mitchell Linn and Freddy, talking to them idly as you’d readied some food. They were lovely company, always entertaining to watch as you reheated and finished off the leftover pizza from last week. It was important that you ate, you knew you'd be spending the rest of the night at the Breaker Box. The last thing you needed was to get sick in front of your two newest little crushes.
What had begun as a fun venture with the owners of the fabled Breaker Box had turned into budding companionship. At first you’d visited at night, enjoying Volt's attention and the lively atmosphere, but then you’d met Eddie. You’d all but invited yourself to help him with maintenance around the night club. You had only planned to come once or twice, but recently you’d been visiting the Breaker Box almost every morning to help out Eddie with his chores. The hope was to ease some of his stress and quell the power surges, but it turned out to be fun. The two of you bantered as you tightened bolts and replaced bulbs. Sometimes, if you were lucky, he’d scold you for doing something wrong and guide your hands towards the correct position. The feeling of his rough hands against your knuckles was electrifying, and you could only wonder if he felt the way you shivered when his skin touched yours. Unfortunately, though, today was different. You weren't going in the morning. The both of you had finished all the major repairs around the Breaker Box, all that was left was to enjoy the show tonight. Eddie had told you he wouldn't be there, but you hoped he’d still be manning the bar or bickering with Volt like usual.
As you entered the Breaker Box, Volt was at the ready, his face lighting up as he looked you up and down. “Live wire! You look ravishing, as usual. Do we have the pleasure of your company for another evening? Be honest, you enjoyed yourself so much last time you just couldn't stay away. Am I right?”
You couldn't help but smile, your cheeks flushing softly at Volt’s typical flowery language. “I suppose I’ve been caught! The club is quite nice, but that isn't what keeps me coming back.” you respond with a smile, trying to match his electric energy.
“Is that so?” He smirks, leaning in towards you just a little, the light from his hair illuminating the blush on his cheeks. “What is it that has captured your attentions, then?”
“You, obviously” You tease back with a little smirk of your own.
He seems pleased with himself at your response, a soft laugh filling the air. “The spark is undeniable. And mutual, I assure you. I was rather hoping you would come by today. What do you say we enjoy the night a little more closely together, hm?” He outstretched a hand, the air buzzing between you. “Care to dance?”
You’re a tad taken aback. You hadn’t been expecting to dance tonight, but the Breaker Box had just barely opened. There were only talents practicing their acts on stage and a couple patrons littered about. You hesitantly took his hand, “Ok... but fair warning, I'm terrible at dancing.”
Volt led you onto the dance floor, his movements swift and precise. He took your hand, wrapping his other hand around to rest against the small of your back. You found yourself guided through a slow dance as Keyes practiced on the stage. You followed Volt, lulling into a gently beating rhythm as you spun around and around. Volt's eyes lovingly admired your every freckle and wrinkle, his electric blue eyes swimming with a fond warmth. You found yourself hypnotized, and for a moment it's only the two of you in the whole universe. Your eyes were captured by Volts, until he finally leaned in.
“You move quite beautifully, live wire,” he whispered into your ear. His hair rested on your neck and shoulder, making your skin tingle. “I’m impressed.”
While this was everything you’d dreamed, with Volt's face no longer obstructing your vision, your eyes catch something across the room. The door to the back office, with the light still on, illuminating the frosted glass window. It was a small detail, but it was a gentle reminder. Suddenly, Volt's hands felt too soft, his breath too cold. As the song ended, Volt leaned back, taking in your features again. His hands had yet to leave your body, resting gently against your form. Your eyes met, and his gaze flickered down to your lips for a moment.
“Volt,” you whispered before you could even think to stop. “There's-.. There's something you should know”
The lack of confidence in your voice made Volt take a step back, worry flooding his expression. “What is it? Is something wrong?” He asked softly.
“I think I might- I might be in love with Eddie” You admit shakily, unable to stop your eyes from flickering back to that glowing window. You glanced back at Volt and he seemed taken aback.
“You what..?” Volt’s eyes followed yours to the office door and at first he'd simply been shocked. When he looked back at you, though, anger began to seep into his eyes. “Wait, have you- have you been spending time with Eddie? You- You’ve been keeping him active?!” He started, his voice growing in frustration. He hadn't given you a second to speak, his hair sparking and beginning to float as the hum of electricity filled the air. “I told you to stay away from him! You- You fool! What have you done?!” He growled, his surging anger getting the best of him. His skin began to pale and glow a vibrant blue. The lights above began to flicker. The floor beneath your feet shook with the force of Volt's anger, making you stumble.
You took a step back, the static in the air clinging to your skin like a sickly humidity. “Volt please- I didn't-” you tried to defend, your hands in the air. In Volt's anger, he saw you retreating, trying to leave. He reached forward quickly and without thought, like he had once before, snatching your wrist. This time however, a quick zap runs through your arm, into the entirety of your skin and tissue.
The lights flashed bright as he’d made contact with your skin, popping and shattering in an instant of pure chaos. The sound that ripped from your ribs is one Volt will never forget. A cry, a deathly wail of pain, the sound of a human being's last breath being squeezed from their body. Volt pulled away the moment he realized what he’d done. Despite being as fast as he could, though, he knew the instant he’d touched your arm that he'd made an irreparable mistake. The room was now dark, and as Volt's hair slowly began to glow again, he could just barely make out the view of your body on the ground. Your wrist was charred, a ring of tissue burnt and peeling from where Volt had grabbed you. Bruises bloomed under your paling flesh and lightning like veins decorated your skin, red and festering where they’d climbed up your arm. Volt gasped, his heel clicking as he took a step back. He’d never hurt someone like this before, and this wasn’t just another object he’d hurt. No, you weren’t a toaster or a chair, something he could fix and put back together. You were human, born and raised. Your bones broke, your muscles tore. He feels sick as he realizes he can smell your burns, the burns he caused. The smell of singed hair and smoldering skin. His body begins to tremble as he collapses to his knees on the club's dance floor.
Eddie groaned as he left the back office, swinging the door open and stumbling out. He rubbed his head, a migraine forming as he regained his footing. He leaned on the bar and looked up to survey the scene, confused and disoriented from the power outage. It was pitch black and quiet, disturbingly quiet. Everyone had run the moment the light bulbs began to shatter, leaving only Volt and you. He sobered immediately as he took in the familiar scent of something charred. His eyes flickered to Volt, his glowing hair drawing Eddie's attention first, before looking down and realizing what had happened. He staggered, running forward as best he could and sinking beside you, cupping your head as gently as he could in his hands. “Hey- Hey-!” He tried, shaking your face to get your attention. “No no no no- you- LOOK AT ME,” he begged. He sounded desperate, his voice trembling with unfamiliar fear. He put his ear near your lips, holding his breath as he tried to listen for an exhale, and tears welled in his eyes as silence prevailed. His hands gripped onto your dress shirt, “No this- this can’t-” he began, his tone defeated and wavering, “please, don't leave me.”
“Eddie,” Volt started, but his call fell on deaf ears. He turned and looked around, his mind swimming as he looked for help. He realizes everyone else had left, leaving the seeds of resentment deep in his chest. The only one left was Dorian, who had been standing in shock by the front door. “We.. we need Farya- please,” Volt asked, his voice weak, thick with grief. Dorian slowly backed up, before running out of the night club, the sound of his dress shoes squeaking on the wooden floors.
Volt turned back to Eddie, watching as Eddie struggled to come up with any kind of plan. They were a breaker box. They didn't know first aid, and they certainly didn't know CPR. Farya rarely ever visited the Breaker Box, and while she had mentioned in passing how humans were fragile, she always seemed more fascinated by the pain of it all. Never had she taught them how to fix or heal. Eddie's hands shook violently as he gripped onto the soft cloth of your shirt, trying and failing to come up with some plan of action. What could he do? What had he done before?
Eddie looked at his hands, before looking over at Volt. He seemed to realize something, a thought forming behind his dull and desperate eyes. He quickly unbuttoned your shirt, ripping off a couple buttons in the process. “Give me your hand,” he said suddenly, yanking Volt's hand from his lap before he could respond. Eddie rested his open palm carefully on your chest, his calloused hand gentle against the soft skin there. Nausea rose in his throat at the feeling of your cold skin beneath his palm, but he pushed it down, closing his eyes shut tight. Eddie leaned forward, and Volt could feel it before he could even register the action. The feeling of power being siphoned from his very being, a portion of himself being drained into Eddie's hand. With all the concentration and power Eddie could draw, he forced it into you.
Power, raw and untamed, began to flood into your heart. It burned through your chest, and just as it had with Volt, life began to push against Eddie’s palm. Your chest chugged up and down, like a steam train beginning to roll after years of being still. Your eyes slammed open, white and flickering like a roll of film. Energy filled your very being, making your fingers jump and dance. Slowly, like some finely tuned animatronic, you reanimate. As your heart began to beat erratically beneath Eddie's hand, he let out a breath. Eddie finally pulled away, slumping backwards into unconsciousness. With Eddie’s hand off your chest, your eyes shut again, your body slowing down to a crawling pace. This time, however, your chest continued its methodical rise and fall. You were alive.
Only Volt was conscious when Dorian and Farya barrelled back into the Breaker Box. Dorian pulled both Eddie and Volt away from you in an attempt to make plenty of room for Farya to work. She set down her bags and began to frantically check for your pulse, using her stethoscope to listen to the now unnatural click of your heart. Despite Farya’s fascination with severe medical issues, this seemed to be the first time she wasn't hoping for some grave injury. She continued to mutter under her breath, her hands shaking slightly as she listened intently.
“This isn't right- this..” she finally sits up, looking at Volt. Her eyes were scared, and her voice was unsure as she asked quietly, “What did you do?”