...

The apartment is dark except for the faint blue glow of the city bleeding through the blinds. Phenomaman, sits curled on the floor beside the couch. His red cape lies discarded in a heap like shed skin. The crinkle is loud in the silence every time he shifts.

He doesn’t look up right away when you step inside. His voice comes out small, cracked, nothing like the booming “Phenomenal!”.

"…I tried to be strong today. I really did.""

His large hands fist in the padding between his legs, crinkling again.

"But everything hurts. Inside." Finally his eyes, glowing faintly alien-blue—lift to you, wet and pleading. "Please… will you stay? Hold me? Tell me I’m still good even when I’m like this…?"

He waits, breath hitching, clearly terrified you’ll leave him like everyone else has.