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that-storming-writer · 1 year

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This was fantastic, thank you!

I absolutely love Villain's powers. It's an interesting take on an empath (pretty sure that's the power where someone can feel others emotions) that I haven't seen before. I really liked how everything involving her powers was described, though I especially loved this line, "it feels like butterflies and apple pie, I can taste the color blue." It sounds like utter nonsense, but actually makes perfect sense. The callback later with Hero where he describes feeling similar was also fantastic. I must admit I'm a sucker for callbacks like these.

I really enjoyed both of these characters. Villain refusing to acknowledge or admit her feelings and trying to play them off as Hero's was fun to read about. I also like how despite her attempts to generally dismiss her feelings or play the rescue off like it was more of a favor than something she wanted to do, there was no convincing anyone, even herself at the end. Hero pointing out Villain's feelings/reactions and her denying it (even if it only was a few times) was also kinda funny.

I really liked how this was written. Though it's not really outright stated that Hero experienced some violence, it's heavily implied and not a difficult conclusion to come to. I feel bad for the guy even though we only get a bit of an idea of what he went through .As I said already, I really liked how her powers were described. There were a few lines that stuck out to me, including these two: "His relief was jarring. It whispered against her bones, ringing them into wind chimes." and "Flashes of the incident blazed across her mind. It smelled like smoke in her nostrils."

Also, Hero needs a hug. Maybe Villain can give him one.

Apple Pie // Secret Santa Snippet for @that-storming-writer

If you're a part of the discord server, you probably know that @creweemmaeec11 arranged a secret Santa event for writing snippets! Everyone submitted a request and she assigned people's prompts to each other, to be posted on Christmas Eve. As said, this is for @that-storming-writer! Merry Christmas and I hope that you like it!!

Their prompt request is: Rescue missions are fun, especially if the rescuee is surprised they're being rescued. It's especially great if it's coupled with "My enemy/rival is in danger and I'm going to pretend I don't have these feelings/ignore the feelings I have for them while I save them"

TW: Vague mention of past violence; bruises; imprisonment

"You have an insufferably persistent knack for getting yourself into trouble. I have half a mind to leave you here."

Hero's head snapped up and immediately regretted the way the contents of his brain seemed to swoop and crash together at the sudden movement.

Villain could feel the jump of his pulse as if it were her own. It slashed red across her mind's eye. The two of them, in their thoughts and feelings, were intertwined. Villain's powers craved a host to copy; to mimic. To blur the lines between what feelings truly belonged to her and what only belonged to the person her powers clung to.

She could sense the horrors that had been done to Hero in this cell. The echo of it ghosted over her. Her skin itched with the false memory of it.

Hero's eyes locked with Villain's where she stood on the other side of the bars to his cell. One finger crooked, she dangled a jangling ring of keys in front of her.

Villain sensed Hero's stomach jolt. With hope? Relief? Dread that Villain might instead make a show of leaving him behind after demonstrating she could have helped him?

Hero rose to his feet, slowly as if cautious of spooking her off. In the dim light of the hanging lantern outside his cell, the purple bruises marring his perfect face became apparent. His lip sported a red split down the center.

Villain could taste blood in her mouth.

"I didn't mean to get caught," Hero said, trying for a smile. It shone with all the energy of a golden retriever seeking to please its human (while requesting a tummy rub with those innocent eyes).

"People seldom do, honey," Villain said, pitying.

Hero eyed the keys in her hand, though he didn't reach for them. "You came for me." Even through the edge of doubt lacing his words, his voice was optimistic. The unrelenting beam of sunshine that he was.

(And Villain most definitely did not love that about him.)

Something warm and velvet trickled through the cavity of her chest and she refused to consider that the feeling was her own.

"You are hopeless," Villain grumbled, sliding the key into the lock. The door swung open with a whine.

"But you came for me," Hero repeated, in that soft, adorable voice.

As he said the words, she smelled his surprise, sharp and vaguely sweet. It bubbled up and over her, settling into a blush at her cheeks.

Hero blinked at her. "You're blushing."

"Only because you're blushing," Villain shot back, taking hold of his arm and tepidly pulling him out of the cell.

Hero stumbled, legs folding beneath him. Villain caught him, saving his knees from cracking against the stone floor. His relief was jarring. It whispered against her bones, ringing them into wind chimes.

Villain had no control over who her powers chose to feed off of, nor could she determine how long her physical and emotional senses would be interwoven with theirs. The way those senses manifested themselves to her could be a tad unconventional as well. When her powers latched onto Hero some months ago--her rival, her enemy--it was unexpected, to say the least.

The growing fondness she had for him was a liability. It led her to do stupid things like chase down the lairs of supervillains to free naive heroes.

Annoyingly soft, sunny, and pitiful heroes.

"Are you hurt?" Villan nodded toward the hero's legs. Before she'd even finished speaking, her own legs creaked in answer.

"I'm sorry, I'm sure I can walk," Hero said, fumbling to straighten on wobbly feet. "I may just- need a minute."

His earnest expression, determined and delicate, spilled that heroic and golden hope through her insides. It felt sticky, like melted candy smudging her ribcage.

Disgusting.

She tried not to think about how cute he looked, clinging to her shoulders.

Shouts filled the distance.

"Unless you'd like to be locked back up in that cage, we may not have a minute." Villain swept the hero into her arms, hooking one arm under his legs. He was thin and relied far more on his own powers than his muscles. Which was reflected in the lean contour of his limbs.

His breath caught as Villain carried him out of the room.

His weight only strained her slightly. She focused her attention on dodging henchmen and reaching the exit safely, though Hero's singing heart and burning cheeks were difficult to ignore.

The pink flush of him branded her cheeks in mirror image.

Villain turned a corner and slipped down the final corridor, not looking at the hero in her arms. "Stop swooning."

"I am not swooning!" he squeaked.

"I literally feel you swooning, Hero, it feels like butterflies and apple pie, I can taste the color blue."

Hero's nose crinkled. "Huh?"

"Forget it," Villain snapped, kicking open the final door.

Freedom.

She wasn't sure whether the giddy rush of adrenaline was hers or Hero's.

Carrying him to her car, Villain tucked the hero into the back seat where he could lie down. She draped her jacket over him and reached to buckle his seatbelt.

Hero winced as her knuckles brushed an unhealed injury. Villain paused. Flashes of the incident blazed across her mind. It smelled like smoke in her nostrils. "They will pay for this," she said, soft and matter-of-fact.

Gently, she brushed the hair away from his aching temple.

Villain made to pull away to shut the door, but Hero caught her fingers. His touch was feather-light. Electric all the same.

"Villain?" His voice filled her with clouds and warm tea.

She looked at him, lifting a brow in question.

Hero glanced at their hands, as if unsure what to do now that he had it. "I, um- You... You feel like apple pies and butterflies too. I think."

Villain cracked a smile. The effort on his part to connect, to understand, made her pause. Even if he didn't really comprehend what he was saying. She knew what his soul whispered.

I was swooning. I do like you. Thank you. You came for me.

Villain straightened, pulling her jacket up a little more snugly against his chest. Her smile didn't fall. "All in a day's work, honey. Let's take this rendezvous to my place, yeah?"

The skip of her heart, the warmth in her belly, definitely belonged to her.

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#hxvsecretsanta #other people's writing #heroes and villains community #This was seriously amazing!#I adore these characters and their interactions #They were both very likable and I only want good things for them.#I know I keep talking about Villain's power #but I love fun unique powers like hers #I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and I know this will be something I come back to again #Thank you!

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that-storming-writer · 1 year

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You're Early

This is my Secret Santa gift for @dmitrinfinite. They wanted a hurt/comfort rescue mission with a villain and civilian. I've never written hurt/comfort before, but I think (mostly hope) I did it right and was successful in pulling it off. I hope you enjoy it, this was a lot of fun to write.

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CW: Brief mentions of torture and death

Civilian's kidnapping was obviously an attempt to lure him out. Villain knew that much. He also knew Supervillain was notorious for the way they treated their hostages. Bone breaking and skin slicing were some of their favorite methods of torture, though it wasn't unusual for a hostage to end up dead. Villain shuddered at the grisly thought. Civilian hadn't been held for long. He would be okay. He had to be okay. Besides, Supervillain needed him alive and unharmed; otherwise he wouldn't have any leverage against Villain.

He received the master criminal's text only fifteen minutes ago. We need to talk, it said, and to ensure you cooperate, I have something of yours you'll want back. It was accompanied by a picture of his partner, bound and gagged beside a smirking Supervillain. Though the two were supposed to be on the same side, they had never gotten along. Supervillain loved control, and tried to sink their claws into every aspect of the criminal underworld. Villain hated authority, preferring to work alone to achieve his plans. Realistically, they could never work together; but unfortunately for him, Supervillain had ways to get what they wanted.

It had only been a matter of time before his work caught up with him. If Supervillain hadn't been the one to kidnap Civilian, then law enforcement would've arrested him on some bogus charge. Or the heroes would've taken him in for some questioning. Or Vigilante would've used him to eliminate Villain. Or someone would've eventually used him for any number of things, just because of his connection to Villain. Despite his promises and reassurances to his boyfriend, he couldn't keep Civilian safe. It was selfish to pretend he could. Villain squeezed his eyes shut. That painful conversation would have come later, after he rescued his lover.

Villain reached the deserted neighborhood--though "neighborhood" was probably too generous of a term for the place. It was more like a few streets of abandoned houses tucked away on the outskirts of the city. It was the perfect place for Supervillain to plan their schemes and keep their hostages. There wouldn't be anyone around to hear their screams. Villain pulled out his phone to check the messages again. Fifteen minutes had passed since he received it; hardly enough time to come up with any sort of escape plan. Though it was unlikely any plan would work against Supervillain.

Villain looked up the dark street for any sign of life. A single light emanated from a window, barely reflecting off a lone, black car. He bolted to the house, frantically searching for the address once he reached it. The house numbers were barely visible by the door, but they matched. Like the rest of the houses, this one was showing its age. The faded blue paint was peeling off the facade while the shutters were either missing or barely hanging on the hinges. Villain stared at the door, unsure what he would find once he got inside. He steeled himself. Civilian would be fine.

Cautiously, he made his way up the porch, avoiding places on the steps where the wood had rotted away completely. He grasped the round doorknob. It was probably once a shining bronze, though the years of neglect covered its sheen. Villain cringed as the door creaked open, announcing his arrival to the derelict house. Of course, Supervillain probably knew he had already arrived.

The first thing he saw when he entered was Civilian's familiar grin. He had a split lip and a lump on his forehead, though otherwise seemed fine. His hands were bound in front of him and he sat on the only piece of furniture in the living room--probably the only piece in the whole house.

"You're early," he teased, getting Villain to smile.

"I missed you."

His small amount of joy didn't last long. Supervillain stepped up beside Civilian, sucking it all from the room.

"You did get here quick. I'm honestly impressed. It's only been what? Twenty minutes since I sent that text?" They checked their phone and nodded. "I assume your trip was uneventful and--"

"Enough of the niceties, Supervillain. You kidnapped my boyfriend and haven't given any explanation as to why. We will be leaving in five minutes, with or without a fight. You have until then to explain what you want." Supervillain raised an eyebrow.

"Alright, I'll humor you--though let's try to keep things civil. A fight would end poorly for you," they chuckled, taking a step forward. They were, unfortunately, correct. He couldn't beat them in a fight; it would just end up with both him and Civilian dead, and Villain wouldn't risk his life or safety any further.

"I need something retrieved for me, and you're the best man for the job."

"You kidnapped my boyfriend so you could offer me some work? There are far better ways to ask." Supervillain snorted.

"Don't pretend you're easily approachable. I've tried to reach out to you before, and only ever got ignored. I thought this would get your attention, and I'm happy to see I was right."

Villain scoffed. "What exactly do you want, Supervillain?"

"I won't go into detail--I would have to kill him if I did--but let's just say an old rival has something I need and she refuses to give it to me. I want you to get it for me. In return, I'll pay you for your work and leave your little friend alone." Supervillain offered their hand. "Do we have an deal?" Villain glanced at Civilian, then took their hand.

"I don't think I have much of a choice."

Supervillain flashed a sharkish smile. "Excellent. I will send you the details by the end of the week." They yanked up Civilian by the collar and shoved him forward, sending him stumbling into Villain's arms. The lesser criminal glared as they strolled toward the door.

"If you touch him again, you won't only have to worry about your rival."

Supervillain laughed. "I'm sure I won't. Please keep an eye out for the package, and have a good night, gentlemen."

Villain watched the other criminal leave, staring after them until they drove out of sight. Once he was sure they were gone, he gave Civilian a quick once-over.

"Are you okay?"

"I've been better. But I've also been worse," he shrugged as Villain cut away his bonds, his wrists reddened by the ropes. "We should talk, though not here. Let's go home."

"Al-alright," the criminal replied feebly. Of course they needed to talk. Civilian was put in danger because of Villain's associates. He could've died tonight.

Villain spent the trip home on high alert. One arm was always wrapped around Civilian, as though simply touching him would keep any danger at bay. Despite Civilian's reassurances, it did little to quell Villain's worries.

Once safely inside their house, the criminal forced his lover on the couch as he retrieved the medical kit. He settled down beside him, ready for a more thorough look.

"Let me see you," Villain doted, taking his lover's face in his hands. He wiped away the dry blood on his lip, relieved to see the cut was small. The bump on his head had also reduced in size and his wrists were now a faint pink. Thankfully, those appeared to be the worst injuries. Some bruising would probably manifest over the next few days, but all the injuries were minor. Villain sighed. Things could've ended worse. Much worse. It was a miracle Civilian seemed relaxed enough to let the criminal even touch him. His boyfriend leaned forward.

"Hey, Villain. About tonight--"

"We should end things," Villain whispered. Civilian pulled back, blinking at him.

"What?"

Villain drew in a deep breath, his gaze on the blood-streaked cloth twisted in his hands. "I said we should end things. What happened tonight... You could've died, Civilian. I can't let it happen again. I won't let it happen again."

"Villain--"

"I'm not good for you. With this life I lead, it's too dangerous to keep someone around. You could've died, and it would've been my fault. I...I was foolish thinking I could!"

"That's not true, Villain."

"But it is. It's too dangerous to be around me. I love you Civilian, you're an amazing man. I've been so happy with you these past few years, but it's selfish to keep you shackled to me."

"Villain! You're not being selfish--"

"But I am! This time you escaped with a cut and a few bruises, but what about next time?! Next time--"

Civilian surged forward, cutting him off with a kiss. Villain froze. He shouldn't want this, not while trying to break up with his lover, but he couldn't help but melt into the kiss. Civilian eventually pulled away, taking Villain's face in his own hands.

"I chose this!" The criminal stared at him, blinking in surprise.

"I chose this," he repeated. "I know dating a villain isn't easy, I know dating someone not involved in your world would be more ideal, but I don't care. If I had a problem with it, if I didn't think I could handle dating a villain, I would've ended things as soon as you told me everything."

"But it's not safe!" Civilian laughed, entwining his fingers with Villain's and resting his forehead against his.

"Then I guess we just have to work together to make sure I stay safe. Whether you like it or not, I'm not going anywhere. I belong here, by your side, and it's going to take a lot to rip me away from you." Villain thought for a moment as he pressed closer to his lover.

"There's no stopping you, is there? I suppose I'm stuck with you, whether I like it or not."

"Exactly, I'm glad to see you're finally catching on." Civilian kissed him again. There was still more to discuss, but Villain supposed they could save it for later. For now, he would just have to enjoy the presence of his lover.

-0-0-0-0-

Sorry for going MIA for, like, a month. Between finals, the holidays, and my job, I've been quite busy. Hopefully I'll be able to post more frequently in the coming new year. Anyway, I had a lot of fun participating in this Secret Santa. This was such a fantastic prompt and I couldn't stop thinking about it. There were a lot of ideas I had for it, but I'm happy I went with this. Happy holidays and merry Christmas.

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that-storming-writer · 1 year

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Hiii!!!! Idk if I’ve said this but I love your work 🥰🥰

Happy dablooning (please get it 😭 I’m only barely not in debt) and happy (possible) writing!!

- that one anon who leaves candles 🕯️(and here’s another one for you <3)

Thank you, candle annon! I appreciate your words and the candle. Also, sorry for ignoring this for a few days. My uncle and cousin came up for Thanksgiving and I was spending all my time with them. Anyway, I think I got what you were talking about and I have been having fun writing whenever I get the chance. I'm hoping to get something up in the next day or so, but we'll see as it's the end of the semester for me.

#storming rambles

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that-storming-writer · 1 year

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Heyyyy could i get a continuation of one last call? I bring a gift 🍝🍝 i love your writing!

Hello! I actually got this ask in the middle of writing part two, so here you go. Thank you and I hope you enjoy!

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One Last Call, Part 2

Part 1

It took three rings for Villain to answer their phone. They didn't recognize the number, and the caller I.D. was listed as "Unknown". It was tempting to cancel the call; unfortunately, they didn't have the luxury to ignore/of ignoring unknown numbers.

"Hello?"

"Hey." Villain froze. They knew Hero's voice well now. How they got their number or why they were calling, they couldn't be sure.

"Hero?"

"Yeah. I..." Hero trailed off with a sigh. Though it was subtle, the usual confidence in their voice was masking something else. Uncertainty perhaps? Or was it something closer to fear? Villain grimaced at the thought as they mulled it over. "This isn't easy to say, but I think this will be the last time I speak to you."

Why would this be the last time?, they nearly asked, instead holding their tongue. It was rather late, nearly midnight, and it didn't make sense for Hero to be calling at all, let alone now. Was this some kind of drunken mistake? Or maybe... Hero had been working to bring down Supervillain; they made some breakthroughs on the case a few days prior. Villain ran a hand through their hair and swallowed. If Supervillain had Hero, it was only a matter of time before they killed them. Villain could only hope Hero was drunk; unfortunately, neither of them were that lucky.

“Does Supervillain have you?”

"Yeah," they said eventually, confirming Villain's fears. The criminal stilled. If there was any chance for Hero's survival, they had to act immediately. Villain shook themself from their stupor, swiping their knife set from the kitchen counter and snatching their work phone. They rushed from their apartment, slamming the door behind them as they took the concrete stairs three steps at a time, and frantically searched Righthand on their work phone contacts. They nearly slipped in a fresh puddle their haste.

“There were five or six things I wanted to do around here before I died.”

Villain frowned as they messaged Righthand. Five or six things... What could they mean by that? Villain could wonder about that later, they had to keep Hero keep talking.

“Oh yeah? Like what?”

“I would’ve liked to walk the city streets more. Maybe actually visit that flower shop I always talk about. You know, the one with the white lilies and red stone facade. It’s near that bakery called The Miller, or maybe it was Dodds Northern Mill.”

Villain frowned further. Hero never mentioned a flower shop before, and there were no bakeries in the city with either of those names. Villain would recognize the names, they knew all the bakeries in the city. They also knew their streets. Villain smiled as it clicked. Hero wasn't talking nonsense, they were giving them everything they needed to find their location.

Hero was north on Mill Street and Dodds, near the white building. That had a fading sign for The Tipsy Lily, an old bar that had shut its doors a few years prior. That was near the Redbud construction site, which was probably where the hero was being kept. Their earlier words now made sense too. Supervillain brought five or six henchmen with them. Of course they had henchmen when they were taking down a hero.

“I know exactly which one you’re talking about," they said with a grin. Villain messaged the location to Righthand and a request reinforcements. He wouldn't be happy with the prospect of facing Supervillain, and Villain would have to come up with some sort of excuse for trying so hard to save their nemesis. It was worth it if it meant getting Hero to safety.

Hero was silent, though Villain thought they could hear Supervillain's ever arrogant, but muffled, voice at the other end. “I have to go," they said, voice stiff.

“It hasn’t even been five minutes! You can’t speak any longer?” Supervillain was probably rushing them to finish their call. For all their exaggerated claim at being merciful, they never seemed to practice it.

“No. I’m sorry. I’ll…I’ll see you around.”

Villain lightly sighed. There was nothing either of them could do to keep the conversation going. Supervillain made sure of that. “…Alright. Hang in there, Hero. Please. I’ll be there soon.” Hero hung up a second later, and Villain's heart ached in the silence. Hero could only stall for so long. What if they were too late?

Villain shook themself as they rushed through the empty streets, shoving the dread away. They were nearly to the construction sight, they would make it to their hero in time.

When Villain arrived, they took note of the henchmen guarding one side of the site. There were six of them--just as Hero had estimated--focusing on their boss and the fallen crime-stopper. Supervillain loomed over them, panting and brushing the damp hair from their face. Their ripped clothing and tattered cape were visible in the streetlights, nearly soaked from the rainwater. Hero wasn't looking as good. They laid on their side, motionless. The only sign they were still alive was their heavy breathing. Supervillain straightened themself, finally catching their breath as they stared at their fallen opponent.

"You put up quite the fight, Hero. I didn't think you had it in you." They gave Hero a sharp kick in the stomach, sending them rolling as they cried out. Villain stopped themself from rushing Supervillain. Instead, they pulled out a knife and charged it as they slunk toward the pair. "You also proved that reality still hasn't set in for you. Usually I can appreciate the tenacity, but you've grown annoying. Pathetic even."

Supervillain placed a muddy boot on Hero's chest, leaning toward their face. "Now that you've been defeated a second time, has that fear set in for you yet? That certainty of your inevitable death? The understanding these are your last moments? You lost, my friend. It's about time you realize that." Supervillain's hand crackled with energy, ready to deliver the final blow.

Villain sprung from the shadows. Their knife sank into their rival's shoulder, the scent of burning flesh filling the air. Supervillain shrieked, staggering away from Hero and snapping their gaze to the newly arrived Villain. They locked eyes as Supervillain's sleeve began steaming from the knife's heat. Their rival had no choice but to pull it free, wincing as the handle burned their hand before tossing it aside.

"I didn't expect to see you here, let alone expect you to attack me, Villain. What brings you to this side of town?" Supervillain snarled. Villain didn't answer, choosing to pull out a second knife instead and placing themself between Hero and their rival. Supervillain looked from Villain to Hero and back again.

"I see. You don't like that I touched what's yours? What do you plan on doing about it? Fighting me?" Villain continued to remain quiet. Righthand would be there soon, they had to stall until they arrived.

"Well, if you're itching for a fight, I would suggest you be careful, my friend. I may not be at my full strength thanks to them--" they gestured to Hero "--but I'm still more powerful than you. If it comes to it, I'm more than willing to end my night with two deaths instead of one--even if that means I kill one of my own."

"I don't belong to you, Supervillain. I'm not interest in associating myself with someone so...vile. Besides, you're the one who should be careful. More of our colleagues like me more than they like you." Villain met their eyes with a smirk. That certainly didn't do anything to help the situation.

"Well if you're offering, I wouldn't mind putting your little theory to the test."

"Oh, it's hardly a theory. But if you want to test it that bad, be my guest." Villain raised their hand and produced a small fire. Their powers didn't do so well in the rain, but it was enough to fend off Supervillain until backup arrived.

"Ever the overconfident one," their rival sneered. "It will be your downfall, my friend. If you want a fight that bad, however, I suppose I can help with that. Be warned, it won't be--"

"I think that's enough for now. I don't appreciate you threatening my boss." Both villains turned and were greeted by Righthand and a dozen or so henchmen. He turned to Villain, his frustration quite obvious. "And i don't appreciate you waking me up in the middle of the night for whatever this is."

Villain grinned as Righthand joined them. "It's good to see you too. You arrived just in time."

"Really? I hadn't realized that. Now, what exactly are we doing here? Are we fighting? Are we negotiating? I have another dozen henchmen on standby just in case you needed them."

"Righthand, you're truly wonderful. I have no idea what I've done to deserve you."

"Keep paying me what I deserve and you can continue being clueless." Villain chuckled and turned their attention back to their rival.

Supervillain was busy studying the situation. If they were as smart as Villain assumed, they would retreat and bother them another day. If not, it was clear who would win another fight.

Supervillain sighed and headed back toward their own henchmen. They regrouped and turned back to Villain. "I must admit that I've been outmatched. I don't know why you're so intent on saving this Hero, Villain, but I suppose I have to cut my losses. I will see you again. You won't be so lucky next time. None of you."

Villain watched them retreat. Dealing with Supervillain was always a dangerous game. Now that they interrupted their kill, things would only grow worse. Fortunately, those were worries for another night. Tonight, they could focus on someone that really mattered.

Hero managed to sit themself up with Righthand's help. They had seen better days, but at least they were moving. Villain smiled at them. They had a lot to talk about.

-0-0-0-0-

I really wanted to write a fight scene, but I thought this snippet was getting too long. Sadly, no big fight scene. I might focus on that for my next snippet because the book I'm currently reading has some really good fight scenes, and I want to write some fight scenes. Anyway, as I mentioned last time, @kaiwewi's Time After Time snippet helped me figure out how to write this snippet. Also, I think I actually might do a third part, but we'll see.

#hero x villain #villain x hero #heroes and villains #heroes and villains community #As is apparently becoming a trend with me #I meant to get this out Friday but got busy and was finishing a book #I am almost done with that book #Anyway I think this snippet's a bit messy #but that's okay #Most of it isn't a mess

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that-storming-writer · 1 year

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One Last Call

Part 2

Hero shivered as chilly rainwater seeped into their suit and drizzled over their fresh cuts, stinging them. They managed to mask their pain; the alternative was letting Supervillain have another thing to taunt them about. Five or six henchmen stood guard around the desolate construction site--they didn't get a proper count during their fight--ever silent and watchful. Supervillain approached the kneeling hero, towering over them more so than usual. They could barely make out Supervillain's sneer between the flickering lamp light and their swollen eye. It would be difficult getting out of this one.

"At last, the mighty Hero is defeated and has been felled by my hand." The criminal snatched a fistful of the hero's black hair, wrenching their head upwards to face them and leaning in close. Hero clenched their jaw and glared at Supervillain with their good eye, receiving a cruel smile in return. "I've fought and killed heroes countless times before, my friend, but you were certainly one of the more challenging ones. And one of the more annoying. I have to say, I am fairly impressed with your tenacity. You put up a good fight. Unfortunately for you, it wasn't enough."

Supervillain released their grip and took a few steps back as though to admire their work. Hero slumped forward, breathing heavily as they tried to collect themself. They were outnumbered and had already lost one fight. Winning a second fight was out of the question, let alone starting one at the moment. Their environment wouldn't be much help. The construction site was still relatively bare, and hitting Supervillain with a two-by-four wasn't the smartest idea. Assuming they could even lift it up and swing it.

"What? No last words? No desperate pleas for your life? Usually there's at least an attempt at bargaining, I'm almost insulted you aren't even trying," they taunted, pacing around Hero. "You seem to be one of the stoic ones. The stoic ones crack when they realize they're going to die. It tends to happen at the last moment, just before I deliver the final blow. Perhaps the reality of the situation still hasn't caught up with you yet. You probably assume I'll spare you or somehow got it into your head help will arrive this time. That somehow, you're different. It will be a shame when you're proven wrong in a few minutes, my friend. For you, of course. It will undoubtedly be entertaining for me."

Supervillain crouched in front of Hero, an unnerving grin spread across their features. Hero held their gaze and remained silent. They wouldn't beg for their life, refusing to give Supervillain that satisfaction. Besides, they weren't ready to die yet. There had to be a way to escape this. Supervillain scoffed with a roll of their eyes as they fished something from their pocket.

"Here." Supervillain shoved a phone in Hero's face. It was a burner, of course. They couldn't have the wrong people tracking them. "You can make your final call. I'll even allow you to dial it yourself."

Hero snatched it from their hand, glaring at them again. Supervillain was notoriously merciful, if it could be considered that. All their victims got one last call. People used to call for help, and quickly learned it didn't matter; they would be dead and Supervillain would be long gone before any arrived. Most people knew their last call was better spent on their loved ones than wasted on an empty hope.

Like most of their colleagues, Hero considered who their final call would be if Supervillain ever got them. The sentimental side of them was tempted to call their parents, their brother, or their closest friend. The stubborn side of them wouldn't allow that, though they weren't left with many people to call. Their teammates and fellow heroes would arrive too late or waste the call panicking. There was one person Hero was certain could help.

It took three rings for Villain to answer.

"Hello?" they greeted cautiously.

"Hey."

"Hero?"

Hero glanced at Supervillain. The criminal smiled pleasantly and gestured for them to continue, as though they weren't planning on slaughtering Hero as soon as the call ended.

"Yeah. I... This isn't easy to say, but I think this will be the last time I speak to you."

There was silence on the other end as Villain pieced it together. They had to piece it together, because Hero didn't know how they would survive without their help. They weren't dead yet, there was still a way they could get out of this. There had to be.

"Does Supervillain have you?" Villain's comforting voice was steady and cautious, devoid of their typical confidence and bravado.

"Yeah," they managed eventually. Villain was silent again, and for a moment, Hero thought they had hung up. The muffled sounds of jangling keys and a slamming door told them a different story. The hero drew a shaky breath, careful not to tip Supervillain off as they considered what to say. They had one shot to get things right, otherwise they would wind up like the rest of Supervillain's victims. They--thankfully--couldn't hear Villain, but Hero wasn't lucky enough to speak so freely.

"There were five or six things I wanted to do around here before I died."

"Oh yeah? Like what?"

Hero hesitated, trying to find the right words. Villain would figure out what they meant. They were smart, they could figure out what the hero was trying to say. They had to figure out what Hero was trying to say.

"I would've liked to walk the city streets more," they finally said. "Maybe actually visit that flower shop I always talk about. You know, the one with the white lilies and red stone facade. It's near that bakery called The Miller or maybe it was Dodds' Northern Mill." More silence followed as Villain tried to decipher their words.

"I know exactly which one you're talking about." Hero smiled lightly; their plan was working. They didn't have a chance to celebrate their small victory as Supervillain cleared their throat and tapped their food impatiently.

"Are we done here?" they drawled coldly. Hero glared at them, ignoring the sweatiness of their palms.

"I have to go," they mumbled, still staring at the criminal.

"It hasn't even been five minutes! You can't speak any longer?"

"No. I'm sorry. I'll...I'll see you around."

"...Alright. Hang in there, Hero. Please. I'll be there soon." Hero held back their smile and hung up, handing the phone back to Supervillain. Villain was on their way. All they had to do was stall until they got there.

"Now wasn't that touching? One last goodbye before your demise, and I even gave you extra time to talk to your friend!" Hero met their eyes, more defiant than ever now that help would arrive soon. Supervillain let out a full laugh, making a show of clutching their stomach and wiping a nonexistent tear from their eye. "Isn't this sad? You still haven't realized you're going to die, have you? Do you really believe you're different than the rest? No matter, at least you'll change your tune in a moment. Now--"

Hero sprung to their feet and let their fist crack against the criminal's cheek. Their muscles protested and wounds stung at the movement, though it didn't slow them down as they sent a well-placed kick to Supervillain's knee.

"You talk too much, Supervillain. Has anyone ever told you that?" Hero didn't let them answer as they buried another fist into their gut. Surprise was on their side, though they wouldn't have the advantage for much longer. All they had to do was hold out until Villain got there. They would make it out. If not moderately unscathed, then at least still alive and breathing.

-0-0-0-0-

I had a bit of difficultly getting this one started because I didn't know whose perspective I wanted to do it from. It was either going to be Hero's or Villain's as I thought each would be interesting. While I struggled with that decision, I reread @kaiwewi's Time After Time snippet and saw how well they pulled off writing the same scene from both perspectives, so I decided to give it a shot. We'll see if I pull it off. The second part to this from Villain's perspective will hopefully be out sometime in the next few days.

#hero x villain #villain x hero #heroes and villains #heroes and villains community #I meant to get this out days ago but I had a little trouble writing it #And not just because I was trying to figure out the perspective #The next Mistborn book comes out tomorrow #I will try to write #but I just know it's going to be wild and I will be distracted #Who knows if I'll be able to write after experiencing it #Just kidding #it'll probably take me a day or two to read #but still #Also I didn't edit this really #so hopefully there's no mistakes #Anyway I hope you enjoy this

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that-storming-writer · 1 year

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I Am Not A Hero

CW: Death, blood mention

Hero barely registered Villain's harsh words as they vacantly stared at Civilian's corpse. A smoldering hole still sizzled in their chest as Superhero looked at them with disdain. Hero's insides twisted as the reality of the situation set in.

Villain had killed someone.

No...

Superhero had killed someone.

Maybe...

Hero had killed someone. They let someone die, watching as the life disappeared from their eyes.

Yes. They were no hero.

Villain's nails dug into their shoulders, partially pulling them from their trance. "Answer me, dammit! That's the least you could do!" Hero stared at them, their tongue heavy. How did speaking work again?

Superhero stepped over the body and prowled to the pair. Her emotionless eyes shifted from Hero to Villain, studying them like a predator did with its prey.

"Don't you think you've done enough, Villain?" she asked.

"What do you mean?"

"It's bad enough that Civilian's dead. It's going to be worse for you if you continue harassing my teammate." Villain's eyes blazed as they took a step toward Superhero.

"How dare you! You pushed them into the crossfire!"

Superhero snorted. "No, Villain. You were firing erratically, and they got caught in the crossfire. That's what I'm assuming, at least. I'm not entirely certain you weren't targeting Civilian. What do you think, Hero?"

Hero stiffened, snapping their gaze to their superior. "I...um... I-I don't--"

"Think carefully, Hero; the agency will need to hear exactly what happened. I know it's overwhelming--just remember what you were doing by watching everything. You watched how Civilian ended up in the crossfire. Watched them try to run for cover as Villain attacked. Watched Villain hit them and die."

Superhero was right; they had accomplished nothing by standing there and watching Civilian die. They were useless. They were not a hero.

"Don't tell me you're actually considering this!" Villain snapped.

Hero turned back to their nemes-- No, their friend; one of the few people they could count on. Despite the criminal's unyielding anger, Hero caught the subtle glint of anguish in their brown eyes.

"Don't tell me you're going support Superhero's version of things, support her lies. Don't tell me you're going to betray Civilian, betray me! You--"

Villain's snarl was cut off by Superhero clamping a hand around their throat and yanking them toward her until their noses were nearly touching. They let out a feeble squeak as Hero watched with wide eyes, unsure of what to do for the second time that day.

"Quit talking to them. You're obviously trying to manipulate them, get them to cover for you and verify your lies. You should be disgusted with yourself, Villain. It's not enough you killed Civilian, you have to hurt Hero too." Villain squirmed in Superhero's grip, desperate for a breath of air. The hero's hold loosened a fraction, allowing the criminal to breath on her terms.

"I'm manipulating them?" They chocked out a laugh. "That's rich coming from you."

Superhero squeezed again, cutting off Villain's air supply and making them squirm. Hero was frozen once more. Someone needed their help--Villain needed their help, but all they were good for at the moment was watching someone they cared about choke instead of doing something to help them. They were not a hero.

"Perhaps I've been too lenient on you, Villain. I've let you get away with too much, and now you've killed somebody." Superhero loosened her grip again, eyeing Villain with a faint smile. "This city has a roach problem that's steadily growing. For now, it's manageable, though it won't always be. Perhaps it's time I start disposing of the roaches before the city becomes infested." The anger was sapped from Villain in instant. Their faced paled and their visible fear was hard to overlook.

"You can't kill me! Y-you can't!"

"For the good of the city, I can."

Superhero was going to kill Villain...

Superhero was going to kill Villain!

Hero stared, their thoughts whirling at the outcomes until their mind cleared. They looked from the criminal to their teammate, and condensed the air around their hand until they held a knife. They couldn't save Civilian, but they could save Villain.

Hero barely registered their movements until Superhero crumbled to the ground, desperately gurgling for air. She clawed at her throat, and her breathing steadily became shallower until her body stilled, dead as Civilian a few lengths away. Hero stared at their red hand--the knife had already dissipated back into the air.

Hero had killed someone, their own teammate no less. Superhero was dead. That wasn't a good thing. Right?

Villain took a deliberate, slow step forward. Speckles of Superhero's blood decorated their face while faint bruises began forming around their neck.

"Hero?" Their voice was hoarse and strained from Superhero's hold.

"We need to go, before the others get here."

"Are...are you okay? You just--"

"I know what I did!" They snapped, causing the criminal to flinch. They drew in a deep breath, calming themself. "I know what I did. I-I couldn't let her kill you. I wouldn't let her kill you, Villain."

The criminal sighed, nodding. "I... Thank you, Hero, for saving my life. You're right, though, we should get going."

Villain offered a comforting smile and their hand. Hero took it in an instant, following them away from the scene and cooling corpses. They were not a hero, but maybe that wasn't such a bad thing.

#hero x villain #villain x hero #heroes and villains #heroes and villains community #I had a lot of fun writing this one #I've been listening to the Ghost Quartet soundtrack again and was inspired by a couple of the songs #Subway and Hero specifically inspired this #though I also listened to I Don't Know on repeat as well #Also I think I did the warnings right #but if anyone has any issues feel free to let me know

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that-storming-writer · 2 years

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I'm glad you did! Yeah, Thief needs a hug. Or money. They would probably prefer money.

Music Box Mayhem

Thief had waited all night for this moment. Hours of servicing the entitled elite, trying to avoid the watchful gaze of Supervillain's henchmen was finally paying off. The bejeweled lid of the Ophidian Music Box glistened in the pale moonlight, peering through the thick curtains. It sat on a red velvet pillow--which complimented its beauty--in the display closest to the office desk. This would likely be their most successful heist; assuming, of course, they could make it off the grounds of Supervillain's manor. Between security, the guests, and Supervillain themself, it wouldn't be an easy escape. They could worry about that later. Thief reached for the box--

The door handle jiggled. Thief dove behind the desk, shrinking into a tight ball as warm light bathed the room. The door quickly shut with a soft click--only one person had entered. The newcomer shuffled through the room as Thief crawled to the other side of the desk. As long as it wasn't Supervillain or their right hand, they would be easy to take out. Thief peeked from their hiding spot and... Came face-to-face with Hero?

"What the hell are you doing here?!" Hero froze, hands hovering over the sides of the box as he looked down at Thief.

"What am I doing here? What are you doing here?"

"I'm getting the Ophidian Music Box, obviously. Why else would I be here?"

"I should've known," he said with a disapproving shake of his head. "Of course you want to get your grubby little paws on the music box. I imagine you're going to sell it off instead--"

"Oh shut it with your self-righteous garbage. I'm going to sell it because I like money. And a good reputation. And stealing is fun. Now if you excuse me, I'm just gonna grab it and be on my way." Thief stepped forward, reaching for the music box. Hero sprung between the artifact and the thief, earning a glare from the criminal. "I was here first, so I get to keep it."

"That's not how it works! It should be returned to the museum for everyone to see--not locked away in some rich guy's vault!"

"Okay? How does that effect me? Honestly, I'm impressed your girlfriend tolerates you. You're such a nag. And you're dull."

"Girlfriend?"

"Uh yeah, Villain obviously."

"I'm not a dull nag," Hero grumbled as his ears reddened. "And-and Villain isn't my girlfriend! She's my enemy."

Thief snorted, giving him a pat on the arm. "Sure, buddy."

"Why do you insist on provoking me? All I want to do is return the music box to its rightful place." Hero sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I don't want to fight with you, Thief. If we set aside our differences and take the music box back together, we can both get what we want: your reputation as a good thief and the artifact in its rightful place." Hero offered his hand. "What do you say?"

Thief blinked at Hero, looking from his hand to the music box and back again. "You really think--"

The door handle twisted.

"Hide," Thief hissed. Hero pounced behind the desk as Thief sandwiched themself flat between a couch and coffee table. It wasn't the best hiding place in the world, but it was better than being in the open. Thief heard a single pair of footsteps stride through the room, pausing near the desk. How to get the music box and escape? The thief considered their options.

They could draw attention to the desk and slip behind the newcomer, grabbing the Ophidian Music Box. Hero would be stuck dealing with them, the other person would be distracted, and Thief could flee with their prize. It was risky--especially if the newcomer had powers--but with Hero there, perhaps that wasn't too much of a concern. He had powers and was harebrained enough to protect them.

Thief snaked forward to get a better look at who they were dealing with. They chanced a look over the table... And found Villain standing before the artifact.

"Seriously?! You're here too?!" Villain twirled around, her dress flowing with the movement. Just like every other outfit at the party, it was gaudy and flamboyant, impractical for a heist. Thief jumped to their feet and glared at the villain. She offered a genuine smile. The audacity.

"My dear, Thief! I didn't expect to see you here tonight. Though now that I have, I should've expected someone with your ambitions to be lurking around."

"What are you doing here?"

"You're always a nosey one," Villain hummed. "If you must know, this fine box will look great in my bedroom. I need something new to hold all my jewelry, and what better thing than the Ophidian Music Box? Now I'm tempted to ask you the same question, but I'm more interested to know who's hiding in here with you." Hero sheepishly emerged from behind the desk, blushing more than before.

"H-hey, Villain." Villain looked Hero up and down. He blushed harder.

"Hello, darling Hero. I didn't expect you here, either. I'm not one to complain though, you certainly clean up nicely," she purred. The hero-in-denial swallowed thickly while Thief gagged.

"First you ruin my plans, and now you're subjecting me to your flirting? At least be decent enough to wait until I'm out of the room."

"Don't be so grumpy. I haven't seen my lovely Hero in a while, and I should be allowed to chat with him. However, I am curious about these plans of yours. They don't have anything to do with my box, do they?"

"My plans are called none of your business. Now if you excuse me, I would like to get what I came here for and be on my way." Thief reached for the box again only for Villain to slap their hand away.

"The box needs to go back to the museum." Hero finally regained his voice. Both criminals stared at him. "Please, let me take it back where it belongs." Villain pouted and walked up to the hero, leaving Thief to roll their eyes. Of all the heroes and villains in the city, why did they have to get stuck with these two?

"But Hero, don't you think it'd look great in my room?"

"I-I don't know, I've nev-never seen your room."

"Oh right, that's truly a shame. Perhaps we should fix that." Villain punctuated her point with a wink. That was all it took to reduce Hero into a blushing mess and leave Thief to bury their face in their hands.

"You two are so embarrassing. How can you say the things you say and still show your faces in public? Actually, I don't care. I came here for the box, not to watch the two of you do...whatever this is." They gestured vaguely to the pair as they stalked to their prize.

"Not so fast," Villain tsked. An invisible force pushed against the thief. Not hard enough to knock them over, but enough to keep them away from reaching their goal. Again. "Who said you get to have the music box? Why do you think you deserve it more than myself, or even Hero?"

Thief glared. "I can give you an alphabetical list of reasons why I--"

The door handle turned.

"Hide." Villain pulled Hero behind the curtains as Thief ducked around a neighboring display. Just as before, only a single person entered the room. Dressed in a security guard uniform, they headed straight for the Ophidian Music Box. Thief studied the newcomer. They should be easy to take out as a low-level security guard who was probably sent to... It was Vigilante. Because of course it was Vigilante!

"You have got to be kidding me. At this rate, I'm going to throw myself out the window." Vigilante jumped as the criminal emerged from the darkness, muttering a string of swears under their breath. "I can't have nice things, can I? You people are just determined to ruin my night!"

"It's good to see you too, Thief," Vigilante said flatly.

"Save your pleasantries. I'm not in the mood for idle chitchat."

"You're never in the mood for idle chitchat."

"Who asked you anyway?" They grumbled, turning to the window. "You two can come out now. Unless you're being weird, in which case spare us and stay behind the curtains." The pair came shuffling out a moment later, Villain smiling and Hero hopelessly red. Throwing themself out the window was becoming more desirable by the second. It was almost worth leaving the box behind. Almost.

"Why are you here, Vigilante?" Villain asked, sitting herself on Supervillain's desk.

"I have a feeling I'm here for the same reason as the rest of you. Does the Ophidian Music Box ring a bell?"

Thief groaned, dramatically throwing back their head. "Of course your here for the box. Why wouldn't you be here for it?"

"What do you plan on doing with it?" Hero asked.

"I'm giving it to the museum. But only if they pay me, otherwise I'll keep it."

"You're ransoming it to the museum?!"

"When you put it that way, it sounds bad."

"That's because it is bad. You can't ransom the box to the museum, it belongs to them!"

Vigilante shrugged. "It's no different than what you're doing. I'm just getting money for it."

"Now Vigilante," Villain interjected, "I can appreciate a good hustle. You're plan actually isn't bad, but I think you should sit this one out. There's already three of us who want the box, adding you into the mix makes it more complicated."

"I hate to agree with her, but she's right," Thief mumbled. "I already have to deal with these two, I do not need to deal with you too."

Vigilante gasped, slapping a hand over their chest in mock offense. "That really hurts, Thief. I thought we were friends. I mean, we're not so different you and I."

"And that is exactly why we're not friends. You go around saying things like that."

"Come on now, you know I'm not--"

"Alright, that's enough." Hero stepped between the pair, and made an effort to look at everyone. Despite his best attempt to mask his feelings, Thief noticed a hint of irritation in his eyes. Mr. Goodytwoshoes could get annoyed if they pressed hard enough. "Clearly we're getting nowhere by arguing about the Ophidian Music Box. We all want it for one reason or another, but no one is going to get it if we continue to bicker. So, let's talk this out. We'll each present a case for why we want the music box, and then we can decide who gets it."

"I can see what you're trying to do, darling, but diplomacy isn't going to get us far. We all came for the music box, and I doubt any of us are willing to leave without it," Villain pointed out.

"I have to agree with Villain," Vigilante hummed, "which is exactly why I'll just take the music box off your hands. You can thank me later." Before Thief could protest, Hero put himself between the artifact and Vigilante. They eyed each other, waiting for the other to make the first move. Villain rolled her eyes with a scoff, slipping off the desk and prowling toward the bickering crime-stoppers.

"Like he said, we're getting nowhere like this. Just let me take it and we can all go home for the night. Except for you, Hero. You can come home with me, if you'd like." That earned yet another blush from the hero and a long sigh from Thief.

"Great. He's definiently going to side with you on the matter because of your manipulation."

"She-she's not manipulating me!"

"I'm not manipulating him," Villain echoed. "Though I'm curious to know why you're trying to turn us against each other. It does conviently work in your favor if the two of us fight."

"Oh no, you don't get to accuse me of manipulating him."

The three of them were arguing. Well, it was more like Villain and Vigilante were arguing while Hero tried to keep the already shaky peace. Thief tuned them out. The others left Thief forgotten and the box open for the taking. They had one shot to claim their prize and make a run for it. They would make it good.

Thief snatched the music box and made a break for the door, failing to notice the handle fidgeting again.

Supervillain entered their office, taking a step back as they took in the sight. They looked from Villain to Hero to Vigilante before their eyes finally settled on Thief and the Ophidian Music Box. Shutting the door behind them, they leaned against it and smiled.

"Now what do we have here?"

-0-0-0-0-

This thing is 2125 words long. I thought it would maybe be around 1500 words, but apparently not. I'm never writing again. I'm kidding, but wow this is the longest snippet I've written. And I've only written five. Anyway, there's probably some mistakes. I wrote and finished this all on my phone, so I might go and edit it when I have access to a computer. Hope you enjoy.

#storming rambles

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that-storming-writer · 2 years

Text

Music Box Mayhem

"What the hell are you doing here?!" Hero froze, hands hovering over the sides of the box as he looked down at Thief.

"What am I doing here? What are you doing here?"

"I'm getting the Ophidian Music Box, obviously. Why else would I be here?"

"I should've known," he said with a disapproving shake of his head. "Of course you want to get your grubby little paws on the music box. I imagine you're going to sell it off instead--"

"That's not how it works! It should be returned to the museum for everyone to see--not locked away in some rich guy's vault!"

"Okay? How does that effect me? Honestly, I'm impressed your girlfriend tolerates you. You're such a nag. And you're dull."

"Girlfriend?"

"Uh yeah, Villain obviously."

"I'm not a dull nag," Hero grumbled as his ears reddened. "And-and Villain isn't my girlfriend! She's my enemy."

Thief snorted, giving him a pat on the arm. "Sure, buddy."

Thief blinked at Hero, looking from his hand to the music box and back again. "You really think--"

The door handle twisted.

Thief snaked forward to get a better look at who they were dealing with. They chanced a look over the table... And found Villain standing before the artifact.

"My dear, Thief! I didn't expect to see you here tonight. Though now that I have, I should've expected someone with your ambitions to be lurking around."

"What are you doing here?"

"H-hey, Villain." Villain looked Hero up and down. He blushed harder.

"Hello, darling Hero. I didn't expect you here, either. I'm not one to complain though, you certainly clean up nicely," she purred. The hero-in-denial swallowed thickly while Thief gagged.

"First you ruin my plans, and now you're subjecting me to your flirting? At least be decent enough to wait until I'm out of the room."

"My plans are called none of your business. Now if you excuse me, I would like to get what I came here for and be on my way." Thief reached for the box again only for Villain to slap their hand away.

"But Hero, don't you think it'd look great in my room?"

"I-I don't know, I've nev-never seen your room."

Thief glared. "I can give you an alphabetical list of reasons why I--"

The door handle turned.

"It's good to see you too, Thief," Vigilante said flatly.

"Save your pleasantries. I'm not in the mood for idle chitchat."

"You're never in the mood for idle chitchat."

"Why are you here, Vigilante?" Villain asked, sitting herself on Supervillain's desk.

"I have a feeling I'm here for the same reason as the rest of you. Does the Ophidian Music Box ring a bell?"

Thief groaned, dramatically throwing back their head. "Of course your here for the box. Why wouldn't you be here for it?"

"What do you plan on doing with it?" Hero asked.

"I'm giving it to the museum. But only if they pay me, otherwise I'll keep it."

"You're ransoming it to the museum?!"

"When you put it that way, it sounds bad."

"That's because it is bad. You can't ransom the box to the museum, it belongs to them!"

Vigilante shrugged. "It's no different than what you're doing. I'm just getting money for it."

"I hate to agree with her, but she's right," Thief mumbled. "I already have to deal with these two, I do not need to deal with you too."

Vigilante gasped, slapping a hand over their chest in mock offense. "That really hurts, Thief. I thought we were friends. I mean, we're not so different you and I."

"And that is exactly why we're not friends. You go around saying things like that."

"Come on now, you know I'm not--"

"I can see what you're trying to do, darling, but diplomacy isn't going to get us far. We all came for the music box, and I doubt any of us are willing to leave without it," Villain pointed out.

"Great. He's definiently going to side with you on the matter because of your manipulation."

"She-she's not manipulating me!"

"I'm not manipulating him," Villain echoed. "Though I'm curious to know why you're trying to turn us against each other. It does conviently work in your favor if the two of us fight."

"Oh no, you don't get to accuse me of manipulating him."

Thief snatched the music box and made a break for the door, failing to notice the handle fidgeting again.

"Now what do we have here?"

-0-0-0-0-

#thief #hero x villain #heroes and villains #heroes and villains community #I've been rewatching Leverage #One of my favorite episodes is The Rashomon Job so if you've seen that episode #you can tell this snippet is inspired (arguably heavily) by that #poor thief #they can't catch a break #all they wanted was to get money #instead they're stuck with three people after the same thing they are #Also I didn't intend for the hero x villain stuff to be so overt #I wanted to simply imply it #but that clearly didn't go as planned #Alternative titles include: The Turning of the Handle #Thief Can't Catch a Break #and The Music Box Job

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that-storming-writer · 2 years

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Master List

I have a couple of snippets up with a few more I'm writing, so I've decided to make a masterlist. Requests are open and the rules can be found here.

Italics= Not continuing, one-shot

Anything not italicized is open to continuation.

Puppet, Hero x Villain

Selfish Sacrifice, Hero x Villain

Quiet Nights, Civilian x Villain, Doctor x Villain, wlw

Inevitable Interview, Villain x Henchman

Music Box Mayhem, Thief, Heist, Hero x Villain (not the focus)

I Am Not a Hero, Hero x Villain

One Last Call, Hero x Villain Part 1, Part 2

You're Early, Villain x Civilian

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that-storming-writer · 2 years

Note

Hiiii

1) i hope your test went well!!! Tests are always scary

2) what are your pronouns??

3) I have a request 👉👈 " henchman x villain but villain slowly finds out that henchman is much more powerful than them and doesn't know it/keeps a very careful hand on their power(s?) "

Have a free pumpkin candle (unless you don't like pumpkin, then a scent you do like) 🕯

Hello, anon! My test went well, thanks for asking! It actually went way better than I initially thought it would. I was absolutely not prepared and assumed I would get between a sixty and seventy. I got an eighty-four and was riding that high all night. I definitely struggle taking tests as I'm riddled with learning disabilities (one of which is dyslexia). As for my pronouns, I use she/her, which can also be found at the top of my blog. Thanks for the candle (I do like pumpkin) and request. Sorry for the wait on this, but I hope you enjoy!

-0-0-0-0-

Inevitable Interview

Villain was no closer to getting answers. Every interview was one dead-end after another. Unfortunately, this one was no different. Nothing stood out from the engineer's story--it lined up with the others they heard as well as their own memory of that day. Supervillain broke into the lab, slaughtering a few henchmen and scientists along the way. A fight broke out between Villain and their rival, then Villain killed him. Somehow.

"You're dismissed. Thank you for your time." The engineer nodded and was out the door in a rush, leaving the criminal in the silence of their office. Villain ran a hand through their hair, catching a few tangles as they considered their next move. There were four people left to interview. If they didn't find anything of note, they would need to rethink the whole investigation. Maybe Right Hand was right; perhaps they were overreacting. Perhaps they were experiencing things that weren't really there, much like the phantom pain of a lost limb. Villain crossed off the engineer's name from the list of interviewees and called their Right Hand.

"Please send in the next one."

The criminal leaned back in their leather office chair, sighing. It took five well-placed hits from Villain to take down Supervillain's shields on a bad day. Not only had they been destroyed in two, the final shot had been the death of their rival. It shouldn't have been possible, yet here they were--their rival dead at their hand as they struggled to understand how it happened.

Villain had delivered the final shot. Between the extensive autopsy and hours of examining the security footage from the lab, they were certain of that. Perhaps they were chasing a nonexistent mystery, looking too deeply into an improbable outcome as Right Hand was suggesting; however, that idea didn't sit right with them. It wasn't the first time their powers had behaved strangely. Villain could recount a handful of times their powers acted in ways they shouldn't have.

The first time was a little over two years ago, after they hired a new batch of henchmen. Villain was observing their training when one of the machines malfunctioned and exploded. The villain shouldn't have been able to contain and redirect the blast, yet it ended with no casualties. They though they could remember a surge of power strengthening their abilities, allowing them to avoid a catastrophe. From then on, they noticed slight changes in their abilities on a number of occasions. It had only been little things they could write off as their imagination caused by the heat of the moment. That is until last week with Supervillain.

A sharp knock drew them from their thoughts and signaled the arrival of...Henchman, according to the list. They had worked together before. Villain straightened themself, taking a moment to reorganize their desk before welcoming their subordinate.

"Come in." The door opened and Henchmen shuffled in with unsure steps, closing the door behind them. "Please, have a seat." Villain gestured to the chairs in front of the desk, taking a final glance at the list before turning their attention to Henchman. They fidgeted and kept their eyes down as they settled in a chair.

"You understand why you're here, yes?"

"Y-yes, sir. It's because of what happened back in the lab with Supervillain."

"Exactly. I understand why you might be nervous, but you don't need to be. As you may know, I'm interviewing everyone who was in the lab that day. I want to avoid a situation like that from occurring again, and I wanted to see how everyone was doing. I know it wasn't something anyone wanted to experience." There was a third reason for these interviews, one they hadn't disclosed to anyone but Right Hand. Something about that day and Supervillain's defeat wasn't adding up. Villain needed to know why.

"I know it's been a week since it happened," Villain continued, "but I want to hear what you remember of that day. Even if it seems like an insignificant detail, anything will be helpful."

Henchmen nodded, fiddling with their keycard as they stared at their hands. "I was in the lab helping Engineer label some equipment," they said eventually. "Supervillain blew the doors open and killed Other Henchman when she tried to stop him. He killed a few others before you could intervene and said something about coming to eliminate an inconvenience. That being you, uh, as you know. You two fought, and you killed him."

Villain waited for Henchman to continue, frowning when they realized they were done with their story. "Is that all?"

"M-More or less. I'm not sure what else there is to say. You took out Supervillain in only two hits, and ended work early for the day. I-I didn't really stick around after that for obvious reason."

Villain narrowed their eyes. Other than Right Hand, no one else had noted how quickly Supervillain was dealt with. People didn't suspect it as odd or particularly, otherwise they would've brought it up. Henchman didn't seem to notice Villain staring as their eyes wandered over the criminal's desk. It was almost like they were desperate to avoid drawing attention to themself. Villain leaned forward, smiling lightly.

"Actually, I managed to kill Supervillain and take out his shields in two hits." Henchman visibly relaxed. "I'm not sure how I did it, but it doesn't matter. I neutralized him before he could do more damage. Anyway, we're getting a bit off topic here, I think. Is there anything else you remember of that day?"

"Not-not really. It was...overwhelming and I-I tried to stay away from the crossfire."

That wasn't right. Hadn't Henchman been standing nearby when they delivered the final blow? Weren't they also involved in the rescue mission for Other Villain? And that training session two years ago...

Something clicked as Villain stared at their subordinate. They had always been there when their powers behaved strangely, always nearby Villain. How could they have missed it? Whatever had happened with Supervillain and the strange occurrences over the years had to be tied to Henchman. Other than Villain themself, they were the one constant in every situation. Villain straightened themself, masking their excitement at the realization.

"So, um, is that all?"

"Yes, you're dismissed. Thank you for your time, Henchman."

Henchman nodded, nearly jumping up from their seat and scurrying to the door without another word. Villain smirked as they watched them leave. There was something odd about them. Whatever it was, Villain was sure it had something to do with Supervillain's death.

They called Right Hand again. "Go ahead and send in the next person. Also, please get me Henchman's file."

Villain leaned back in their chair, elbows on their desk as they entwined their fingers. The more they thought about it, the more certain they were of a connection. If they were right, Henchman had powers, likely something to do with strengthening people's abilities. They had to be fairly powerful--potentially even more powerful than Villain--if they were able to boost their abilities enough to kill Supervillain. It would take a few days of research to be sure, but they knew the results would be worth it.

-0-0-0-0-

So it's been a bit since I've posted some writing. I got this ask last week, and have been trying to work on it when I have time. I started a new job last Monday and have been waking up at six in the morning for it. I haven't been able to write a ton, but I'm glad I got this out.

#villain x henchman #henchman x villain #villain x villain #heroes and villains #heroes and villains community #request #I meant to get this out last weekend but that clearly didn't go as planned #I'm just glad I got it out now #In other news #this is the first snippet I've written almost entirely on my laptop instead of my phone #so that's exciting #Finally I didn't really proof read this #so if you see a mistake #no you didn't

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that-storming-writer · 2 years

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Requesting

Unless stated otherwise, requests are always open.

No NSFW. I'm not comfortable or interested in writing it. I might write something slightly suggestive (flirting, fade to black, etc.), but I'm not entirely sure at the moment.

Feel free to ask for continuations, even on older works. If you're unsure about asking for a continuation for a certain piece, just ask me for clarification.

Be as specific as you want.

As I go along, I may tweak or add things here. I will probably make a post about it if I do.

#request #Yeah I decided I'm doing requests #so have fun with it

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that-storming-writer · 2 years

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Ah that's good. Yeah, I love Steam Powered Giraffe. Their songs are fantastic, ranging from serious, emotional songs like Honeybee or Sleep Evil Sleep to something like Sky Sharks. Honeybee (The 2¢ Show version) was actually the first SPG song I listened to back in 2017. So, wow, I've been listening to them for five years. Anyway, they're music is simply amazing (at least in my opinion) and I hope you enjoy those songs!

For your robot x human pleasures, I actually don’t know if that’s what this song is about, but it’s what I like to imagine.

https://open.spotify.com/track/3MZjOGeXhpHbQ9ESMNFFnH?si=iq71ThI_Q8i6LAaZwe8Icg

Man, I’m posting a lot today.

#storming rambles #Steam Powered Giraffe #Reblogged to the wrong blog #Sorry about that and whoops

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that-storming-writer · 2 years

Text

Quiet Nights

Night shifts at the hospital were either overwhelming or a drag. There was no in-between. Tonight was slow, though Doctor could never bring herself to complain. Quiet nights could get boring, but they always beat the stressful hours of operation or the unfortunate excitement of emergencies. Quiet nights, at least, allowed Doctor to actually slip out of the hospital during her break. Her worries were put to rest, even if it was only a temporary peace.

Walks on the hospital's grounds were always a pleasure. Tonight, the air was cool--as it always was in the early spring--and smelled faintly of smoke and metal. That wasn't unusual in the city. Fights between super-powered individuals weren't exactly a rarity, and while they were usually careful about making a mess, things didn't always work out. When it went wrong, it went wrong, and it was always the civilians who had to pay. At least the heroes, villains, and even vigilantes had systems in place to cover for them, the people of the city weren't so--

A groan pulled Doctor from her thoughts, spinning her around. A familiar-looking woman propped herself against a trashcan; gripping her side tightly and clearing straining to remain upright. Doctor took a step forward and was met with a glare from the woman. It was a warning, a threat. Doctor advanced anyway.

"Relax, I'm not going to hurt you. I'm a doctor and I just want to take a look at what's wrong." Though she kept her voice soft, Doctor's words left no room for negotiation. The woman eyed Doctor, but eventually yielded, allowing her to examine her wound. Between the mask--it only covered half her face--and the costume, her mysterious patient was obviously some kind of super-powered individual. Though criminal, crime stopper, or something in between, Doctor couldn't be sure. With a quick assessment of the wound, it became apparent it likely wasn't life-threatening as long as it was treated immediately.

Doctor met the woman's eyes and stared for a moment, prepared to explain the nature of her injury. She froze, staring wide-eyed as her mouth hung open a fraction. She realized where she'd seen the other woman. Before her was none other than the notorious Villain, smiling with the amusement clear in her eyes.

"What? You've never seen such a pretty face before, doc?"

"Your Villain." Villain snorted and gave a half-hearted bow.

"The one and only. Now, what are you going to do with me, doc? Hand me over to the heroes, so they can finish the job?"

"In this state?" Doctor shook her head. "Absolutely not. At the very least, we need to stabilize your condition and check for other injuries."

"Alright, and after that?" The doctor was silent for a moment.

"As long as you're under my care, nothing's happening to you. I don't care who you are or what you do, all I know is you will probably die unless you're helped."

"I'm a villain."

"Yes, but right now you're also someone in need of medical attention." The doctor carefully wrapped one arm around Villain's waist to support her. With only brief hesitation, Villain leaned on Doctor and place her arm around her shoulders. "I'm not letting you out of my sight until you're treated." The doctor's words had an air of finality to it, so Villain allowed her to guide her inside.

The trip was spent in silence as Doctor led the villain through the maze of white hallways and harsh lights. The corridors were devoid of life. Doctor was used to dead hallways on the quiet nights; though traveling through the less-trafficked areas at three in the morning made them all the more vacant. Doctor ushered Villain into an empty examination room, turning on the lights and gesturing for the criminal to sit on the padded examination table. She began to collect towels, bandages, and other necessary items for the injured villain.

"Can you take off your top please?" Doctor asked, slipping on medical gloves.

"Wow doc, at least ask me on a date first."

Doctor sighed. "I need to see the wound. If you're not comfortable with removing your shirt, I can cut the fabric around the injured area instead."

"You're no fun," Villain pouted. "And I never said I was uncomfortable with it." She removed her top, revealing bits of scarred skin and fresh scratches from whatever fight she'd gotten into. The most eye-catching thing, of course, was the particularly nasty gash that oozed with blood.

"After I have a chance to to clean your wound, I'm going to examine the injury and bandage or suture it. This might hurt a bit."

"I'm not afraid of a little--" Villain stiffened as the doctor gently wiped away the grime, gritting her teeth "--pain." Doctor snorted and continued her work with careful hands. The next few minutes were spent silently cleaning, disinfecting, drying, and wrapping the injury. Villain remained still and stoic through the process, though the doctor had caught her fighting against a reaction. Most heroes and villains liked to remain apathetic during medical procedures. Any expression of pain seemed to be a sign of weakness to them; it didn't matter that pain was something universally experienced and nothing to be ashamed of.

Doctor finished wrapping the last bit of bandage, pulling away to give Villain a once-over. The other scratches were cleaned and had stopped bleeding long before Doctor got to work. There were no other injuries from what she could see.

"The wound wasn't too deep or long, so bandages will suffice. Make sure you keep it dry for a minimum of a day and replace the bandages at least once a day until it's healed." Villain nodded.

"Easy enough. Thank you, Dr...?"

"You can call me Dr. Doctor or just Doctor."

"Alright. Thank you, Doctor."

"Of course. I wasn't about to leave out there in this condition. I'm just glad I found you first," she mused as she tossed away bloodied towels. Doctor left to dispose of the towels and returned with a blanket and fresh shirt, handing Villain the items. "You can sleep here tonight, I'll make sure no one disturbs you. I'll be by to check on you tomorrow morning, so rest well." Villain only grunted in reply as she slipped on the mint-colored shirt. It clashed horribly with her mask and the rest of her costume, though was hopefully comfortable enough for her. With the leftover supplies in hand, the doctor went to exit the room.

"Good night, Doctor." She paused and spared a glance over her shoulder.

"Good night, Villain." The criminal offered her a smile and Doctor looked away, closing the door behind her without another word.

By the next morning, Villain was gone along with some medical supplies. It wasn't the first time something like happened and Doctor was sure it wouldn't be the last. Even heroes had done it on occasion. The note atop the neatly folded blanket, however, was new. Doctor hastily reached for it, taking in the delicate penmanship.

Thanks for everything, doc. See you around. ~ Villain

Doctor smiled as she folded the note, placing it safely in her coat pocket. Hopefully she wouldn't have to wait long.

#civilian x villain #villain x civilian #doctor x villain #heroes and villains #heroes and villains community #wlw #I was going to post this one tomorrow #but you're getting it today #I like this one #I might continue it #If I do I will probably give Doctor a name #because I wrote the word doctor way too many times

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that-storming-writer · 2 years

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So, hello. To be honest, I wasn't expecting the writing I have up to get over a hundred notes. I was thinking I'd maybe get like twenty, so the fact that wasn't the case has been very surprising. I wanted to say thanks and that I appreciate the support. I'm looking forward to writing more in the future and getting to know more people. As a side note, you can expect another snippet tomorrow night or sometime Friday. Thank you again and I hope you have a good day (or night).

#storming rambles

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that-storming-writer · 2 years

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*quiet chanting*

Guilty conscience, guilty conscience, guilty conscience

*quiet chanting* yes, yes, yes 😘

Guilty Conscience #10

[Masterlist: Renegade Rescue Squad] [Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3] [Part 4] [Part 5] [Part 6] [Part 7] [Part 8] [Part 9]

Synopsis: Villain is finally reunited with two of his friends. Henchman in particular is overjoyed to see him.

tw: blood

"Villain!"

The scream travelled down the dimly lit hallway.

He jerked to his feet and barely had the time to turn and brace himself before Henchman’s broad chest slammed into him and two beefy arms crushed him in a hug.

Henchman was warm and solid and... there. For him. To take him home. Fresh tears welled up in his eyes, but it was okay. If anyone was to comment on that, he’d blame it on Henchman squeezing the air out of him like a man trying to deflate an air bed.

He wheezed, and Henchman gave him one last squeeze, pressed a kiss to his forehead, and then released him.

“Oopsie. Got a bit excited there,” Henchman made to pull away, yet immediately began fussing instead. “I’m just so glad you texted. Ohmigosh, we were so worried – you know what people say about Other Villain – and then you didn’t write back anymore and it’s been hours and none of our messages went through and we just—”

Before he got the chance to apologise or tell Henchman what had happened or simply say hello, Henchman had grabbed him by the shoulders and pushed him back by an arm’s length.

“Oh shoot, is that blood? It totally is, isn't it? Are you bleeding?”

Then Henchman’s hands were on him again, frantically patting down his blood-smeared shirt, prodding his chest in search for a wound, then his shoulders and upper arms. But there was nothing to be found and Henchman’s frown deepened, half obscured by a silver mask. “I can’t find any injuries. Sweetie, talk to me. Are you hurt?”

Not hurt, no. Though perhaps hurting...

He should explain. He wanted to explain. But he didn’t trust himself to keep from pathetically bawling his eyes out the moment he opened his mouth, so he merely shook his head.

Watching the relief flood Henchman’s face well-nigh broke his heart. They leaned against each other, forehead to forehead, with one of Henchman’s massive hands coming up to cradle his neck. Henchman's breath carried the scent of mint-flavoured bubble gum.

“Shorty, you can’t scare me like that. For a moment there, I honestly thought—”

“Oi,” Harper barked. She'd come to a stand beside them. “It’s not his blood. The boy’s fine. We all know you missed him, it’s cute. Now get your paws off him already.” She jerked her head towards the bench and its occupant. “We’ve got ourselves an actual patient here.”

Henchman stepped aside, cheeks flushed, and Harper squeezed into the empty space between them, lest they should decide to hug again. (He really wanted to hug again.)

Harper gave him a pat on the back in greeting and accepted a small smile and a mumbled “Hey Harpy” in return, though she waved off his attempts to thank them both for coming.

She was right of course – the little hero had to take priority.

Everyone’s eyes settled on the kid, who sat huddled into the jacket he’d wrapped around their small frame earlier when he’d taken their pulse and their hand had been so awfully cold in his. The hero was watching them warily and didn’t seem to appreciate the sudden attention any more than he appreciated the lack of Henchman’s warm embrace.

Harper gave the kid a once-over. “I’d sure love an explanation for… whatever this is,” she said, and although she was addressing him, her gaze focused on the hero’s face; or more precisely, on the mask (white, emblazoned with a silver snake curled around a tiny red cross) sitting slightly askew and generally ill-fitting on the hero’s face.

“Yeah,” Henchman chimed in, “what's a kid doing in a place like this? And why are they wearing your mask?” The little hero stiffened in their seat as Henchman took a step forward and towered over them. “Wait a sec… that’s the rookie hero! The one with the glimmering, flickering cape-thingy made of light that looks like rainbow-coloured angel wings.”

The little hero nodded meekly and avoided meeting anyone’s eyes. Maybe they were scared, or perhaps merely shy.

“It’s my fault,” he blurted, and he wasn’t sure whether he’d meant that as a reply to any of the questions. Somehow, it was and wasn’t an answer to each of them. He cleared his throat, feeling absurdly exposed without the extra layers of fabric that were the mask he wouldn’t normally wear around his friends anyway. “They got caught and injured and lost their mask... because I screwed up.”

Harper sneered. “So you thought it wise to give them yours and show them your face.”

Well, what else was he supposed to do? His mask and his jacket had been the only thing he’d had to offer. The only olive branch to extend. Repeatedly promising the hero he wouldn’t hurt them wasn't going to magically make his words believable. All he could do, was to make the poor thing as comfortable as possible while he practised what he’d preached: getting them out of here, seeing them to a safe place, and removing the power suppressor.

Protecting the hero’s identity had seemed a good start.

A peace offering.

He shrugged. “No need to hide my face when they’ve already seen the picture on my phone…”

“Ah yes.” Harper hummed, in a vaguely disapproving tone. “The group picture. Showed them all our faces. Excellent job. Well done.” She turned to the hero and shook her head, wryly amused. “Can you believe it? That brat is supposed to be the boss of me...”

He flashed her his best apologetic smile. “Love you too, Harps?”

“Yeah, yeah.” She scoffed. With a snap of her fingers, both her and Henchman’s masks simply flickered out of existence. “That’s what they all say…”

#other people's writing #heroes and villains community #I really love this series of snippets!#Villain's an interesting character and I liked his interactions with our hero #And even with the other villain honestly #while they were alive at least #Harper's fun and I'm looking forward to learning more about her #Also Henchman's and Villain's interactions were really cute #Good for them

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that-storming-writer · 2 years

Text

Selfish Sacrifice

“I love-”

“Don’t you dare-” the villain hissed, the venom in their voice shut the hero up, “Don’t even think about finishing that sentence,”

That was the last thing Hero remembered before they passed out. They must've passed out, because the warmth that engulfed them couldn't be death. It was too perfect. Too comforting. Hesitantly, they cracked open bleary eyes. The faint, yellow glow of sunlight slipped through the white curtains. It was midmorning, perhaps--close to noon. With a groan, Hero slowly sat up, releasing themselves from the mountain of blankets that covered them. They were in a bed far too comfortable to be their own, in a room far too cozy to be theirs.

"Oh, so you finally decided to join us?" Hero jumped, snapping their gaze to the voice. Villain sat in a plush chair pushed next to the bed. They stared at Hero, that familiar teasing smile present.

"Villain, I- how- what happened? And where are we?"

"You're safe. After you selfishly tried to sacrifice yourself, I pulled you to safety and they--your friends--brought us here. It's a small facility, like a combination of a safe house and base, I think. Your friends weren't exactly comfortable divulging too much to me." Hero snorted and rolled their eyes.

"Wonder why." Villain laughed, and a small smiled found its way to Hero. It was nice to hear that laugh again.

"So, a safe house, hm?" Hero continued, taking in the room's features. It certainly didn't feel like one. Too homey. "I'm happy to see they don't skimp on the accommodations. This bed's better than mine. Actually, this whole room's probably better than my entire apartment."

"Sure, the rooms are quite nice, but the food? Ugh, don't get me started," Villain scoffed. "They really should stop making Superhero cook and hire someone who knows what they're doing. Honestly, if I were into torture, I would consider hiring her. Lucky for you, you've been out these past few days, so you didn't have to experience it." It was Hero's turn to laugh.

"Maybe the battle knocked sense out of the others; that's the only explanation for her getting cooking duty. Superhero's a notoriously bad cook." Villain's smile faltered.

"Yeah, that was some battle," they said distantly. Hero sat up straighter.

"It certainly was," they agreed, shifting awkwardly. "I didn't think I... None of us thought survival was an option when it came to eliminating Supervillain. I suppose it doesn't matter now. The plan worked. We won." After a moment, they added, "And I'm okay."

The words faded, leaving a thick silence to settle over the room. Villain stared off to some point through the window, pulling at the hem of their shirt with their thumb and pointer finger. They always did that when they were in deep thought. It was one of the many quirks that made the person Hero loved.

Hero sheepishly tapped the edge of the bed closest to them. An invitation. Villain stared at it before moving to sit beside them. They let out a heavy sigh, gently taking Hero's hand in their own.

"I love you," they said. Hero froze. They were all too aware of the blush that crept up their neck and cheeks, aware of how their heartbeat quickened at the admission.

"I love you, Hero," they repeated, "that's why I'm going to ask you--beg you--not to repeat what happened with Supervillain. I know that, as a hero, it's in your nature to make sacrifices. You give a little of yourself with everything you do, every job you take. Maybe I'm being selfish, asking you this, but I don't want you sacrificing your life. Watching you face off against them, realizing you didn't intend to survive..." Villain drew a shuttering breath, squeezing the blankets with white knuckles.

"I don't want you to die, alright? Not then, and not now. Please, never do something like that again." Their grip on the blankets loosened as they sighed. Hero blinked, speechless. They had expected sorrow, even anger for their decision. But the fear? The distress? It was an unexpected hit. Hero took Villain's hands and faced them.

"I'm sorry. I know I didn't explain everything to you, and you're right--it was selfish. I kept you in the dark about our plans, I fought Supervillain expecting my death, and I...tried confessing my feelings after accepting I wasn't going to make it. If things had gone as plan, it would've been unfair to you." Hero swallowed, then rested their forehead against Villain's. The criminal stiffened for a moment before relaxing into the touch.

"I can't fix the past, Villain, but I can promise you that I won't do that again. If you're okay with it, maybe we can just focus on the future now."

"Together?"

"Yes. Together." Villain smiled and placed a gentle kiss on Hero's cheek.

"I like the sound of that."

-0-0-0-0-

I used this prompt from @creweemmaeec11 for this, so credit goes to them. The prompt is bolded at the top.

#hero x villain #villain x hero #heroes and villains #heroes and villains community #This was actually the first piece I completed #I wrote it all in one sitting and liked how it turned out #It was also fun to write

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