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Fraternizing: Mentor discovers Hero feelings for Villain and is not happy about it.
Always running: Villain confronts their nemesis, who always run away before a fight
Bad Omen; Hero has an unknown curse power.
"You can't say I didn't warn you this would happen"
Whatever had been exposed on their face seemed to have satisfied Villain. Hero hoped it was nothing but neutrality, out of sheer boredom. As if it were every day that the city revered Villain, not its hero, for things that came from the hero's mind.
But that wasn't why, was it? Nobody would guess that the villain only helped to save the day at the request of the hero themself, and it made no difference whether they knew because it was not Hero who was the hero of the day but their enemy. Nor that it had to be more of a begging than a request.
So it was clear they weren't shaken to see Villain's picture in the papers; heroes and villains appeared in the newspapers all the time. But when they heard what people were saying on the streets, when they turned on the TV, when they saw the posters on the street treating who was once the villain, the same person Hero has fought and protected the city against so long ago...
No, no, no, they weren't disturbed.
"Can you see it now?"
What's good!? How are you? Would you mind doing a pt. 4 to Fraternization?
💕💕💕💕 much love <3
Hey, despite writing block, i'm good. And Thank you for the ask, hope you enjoy <3<3
It wasn't the first time a Villain had cornered Hero; no, but it was the first time Villain kidnapped them.
But they didn't think they would give such a cool room and fresh food to their victim.
“Come on, you have to eat,” Villain said as they closed the door behind with their foot, their hands full with a tray. They were still in their uniform, but without their overcoat. Hero rarely saw their uniform under. It felt like the kidnapping happened days ago.
Hero eyes didn't leave the wall. There was nothing useful to do with anything there; no weapons and no exit and no food…
Well, just the first two options. The instant Hero heart returned to its normal rhythm and decided to give some of their attention to the shitty bastard the world used to call Villain, they realized it was time for someone to bring the food.
Villain set the tray on the plastic table in the center of the room. They took a bite of the sandwich and a sip of the juice, chewing calmly and even tilting their head back so Hero could see their muscles swallowing the morsel. Hero tried to remain expressionless as long as they could. Then Villain took another bite of the other sandwich. Their eyes screamed, 'See? No poison'
“Did you ever plan on telling me who you really are?” - the hero quietly questioned, fighting back tears as they looked towards their lover.
The villain’s voice was as empty as their expression. “Did you?”
“Yes, actually. I had a-” The hero stopped, choking on their own emotions. Stupid, stupid, how had they been so stupid. “I had a powerpoint. And a script. I- I got my whole presentation League approved. [Superhero] even helped me, based on when she told both of her spouses. She, uh, had some great ideas on a Self Defense For Hero Partners 101 slide.”
Their lover–their nemesis–stared at them. Still blank faced. Entirely unmoved.
“And their spouses h-helped too. I mean. They volunteered to talk to you, if you wanted to. Advice from people in the same position. They planned to take you to brunch.” The hero trembled with mortification. They were going to have to tell both of their mentor’s spouses to cancel all their plans. That they had been a fool. That they had almost sent two defenseless civilians to fucking brunch with one of the most dangerous people in the city. “Oh god.”
“I’m…not really a brunch person.”
“Fucking obviously,” they snapped back. “You’d turn a buffet into a bloodbath. And I wouldn’t let you within six miles of them anyway.”
“But of course it was you”
"Hi"
Superhero sigh was the only sound of the place; that and the drumming of Villain fingers from where she was sitting, one leg over the other and a grin baring her teeth. Just like someone who would never have tricks under her skin and absolutely never would use it behind someone back.
They must have seen that coming, after the mission failure to uncover the other villains plans and steal Villain own. Usually, when she was absent for a long time, both the expectation of a new plan and the execution of a bigger scheme increased. They remembered the robbery during the Webbers ball, the mess from the previous year, and the specific mission that Hero had mysteriously taken too long to complete...
The villain cocked her head to the side, her arms braced on the platform and face lighting up as she watched the superhero telling their team over the communicator that the area was clear.
Even though she was expecting another person to come, she felt that there was something different from the usual. Not wrong, but suspicious.
“Why did it take so long?”
"Surprised?"
“No, not entirely. I had my fingers crossed that you and your team failed and I got lucky, but I was bored" She waved her hand.
Superhero kept a considerable distance, from where they saw her entire body and sides.
"Is this an invitation for a fight?" The villain adopted a suggestive tone. Everything in her eyes stimulating a good, dangerous invitation. She took the leg over the other and make a attempt to jump, all calm and collected "I almost worried that this day still isn't overwhelming for you"
"Better worry yourself when you get home and find Hero nowhere"
Feeling horney...... I have no rules, I know it'll be amazing! If you want of course... No pressure! ❤
Espionage wasn’t the hero’s favourite tactic in their whole repertoire. In fact, they were incredibly bad at acting.
Which is why this whole operation was doomed from the very beginning — the hero swore they would screw up. They were supposed to go undercover on the painful extravaganza the villain called “party” And taking account of the villain’s and hero’s complicated past, this was a disaster.
“Great Gatsby my ass,” the hero mumbled as they made their way up the expensive flight of stairs. The villain definitely knew how to impress their guests. Downstairs, wealthy drinks and rich entertainment were displayed, enough of it to make the hero dizzy.
Every celebrity ever was cheating on their spouses there and the hero knew that if they’d been interested in gossip, this place would’ve been a goldmine.
But the hero was here for important information. Not for rumours.
The actual house was a nightmare. Getting lost was easy, but thankfully, the hero wasn’t here the first time.
Once they were in front of the villain’s office, they picked the lock. As soon as the lock gave them the satisfying click, and they finally got to enter the room, their heart jumped a bit. They were in. This could work. The mission wasn’t cursed. Despite their poor skills as a spy and hiding in crowds, they could do this.
They closed the door quietly but it wouldn’t have mattered — with the playing song’s bass banging through the whole house, no one would’ve heard it anyway.
But before they could reach the desk, their instincts started screaming. They weren’t alone. Their whole body turned cold as their suspicious got confirmed.
“Ah, my favourite ex visits me again.” The hero swallowed and took a deep breath before they turned around and saw — as expected — the villain, dressed only in expensive clothes. As always.
“Don’t call me that,” the hero said, their brain already alarmed.
“But it’s true.” The villain looked unholily delicate. “You’re my favourite ex.”
The villain was in front of them before the hero could even reply with words. However, their body replied with a blush and wavering thoughts.
“And now my favourite ex is stealing from me, hm?” The villain closed in on them, forcing the hero to take a step back and then another and another until they bumped against the desk. “Not very heroic.”
“Those plans are governmental property,” the hero reminded them but their voice was weaker than they intended it to be. “You’re a thief and a liar. You’ve always been one.”
“Hm,” the villain answered. Their eyes dropped to the hero’s lips and it almost made the hero angry how their own heart dropped just as quickly. It provoked old feelings they had sworn to bury. To burn. “You’re both as well, then.”
The hero almost wanted to laugh but the villain was too close. If they had moved, they would’ve touched inevitably.
“Oh, please. I’m not on your low level.”
“You stole my heart and you’re lying about your own feelings. A thief and a liar,” the villain said and they had the audacity to grin as the hero’s ears burnt. The villain leaned over and suddenly, their nose touched the hero’s cheek. “Admit it, this relationship isn’t over.”
“It is over.” The villain let their finger run along the hero’s wrist, just like they knew the hero liked it. The hero made the mistake of putting their other hand onto the villain’s chest. They didn’t push them away, though. Slowly, the villain’s hand wandered to the hero’s lower back.
“It’s been three months. Have you moved on yet? Because I have not. I think about you constantly. I wake up, thinking you’re next to me. I dream about you,” the villain whispered, their breath hot against the hero’s skin. “And I see you on the news. You’re not happy. You look miserable. You know I can fulfil every wish you’ve ever had. I can please you like no one else. You miss me. And I miss you.”
“No…” the hero answered with a trembling voice. They didn’t want to think about the villain shirtless but they couldn’t banish those images that were burnt into their brain. They hated how right the villain always was.
“I will leave if you tell me to,” the villain mumbled. Their index finger played with the hero’s hair. “I will leave you forever if you want. But if you don’t want me to leave, if you want me, I’ll show you how much I’ve truly missed you.”
The villain waited. But the hero didn’t want them to wait. It was true. All of it. Terribly true. The hero wanted their former lover back.
The hero’s hand slithered up the villain’s chest until they grabbed their enemy’s shoulder. They seized them closer.
“Fine. Make it good,” they said. The villain pulled back and grinned. This was all the villain needed to let their lips connect and their tongues touch. They were hungry, they were desperate. And the hero realised that they were too.
The heat between them was almost unbearable as the villain’s mouth slid down the hero’s neck. Much too soon however, the villain pulled away.
“Get on the table,” they commanded and without thinking about it, the hero sat down. “Spread your legs.”
The hero obeyed as the villain’s hands on their thighs divorced them. The villain positioned themselves between the hero’s legs.
“One last confession, my silly hero.” The villain dropped to their knees and looked up as if they were the obedient one. “I don’t even have those plans. I just wanted to see you, so I started a sweet rumour.”
The hero didn’t care — with the villain’s shoulders between their thighs and the villain’s mouth exactly where they needed them, the hero was something they never had been in their career: selfish.
"Mm! Very sweet!" - the villain purred happily, shoving another piece of cake into their mouth. "You have to tell me where you get these!"
The supervillain smiled, swallowing their own forkful. "You know that's a secret~."
CONTINUE THE NECROMANCY
Villain concepts are different from Hero, especially what they said after that day. They left with no gaps so Hero could say something.
Weird.
No more than in the next few days.
Fingers grabbed their chin and directed it to their enemy face.
"Did you do it again?" Villain asked in a low tone. As if that became a secret the two shared, and the villain is the only one who could talk about it.
"No" The hero replied, before trying to dodge it, because it was no one's business. Villain tightened their grip "I'm not in the mood to do it again, so could you please let me go?"
"You can barely stand" they let go their chin "Your breath is heavy, your eyes... Are you even sleeped? You are worse than that day"
"Should I feel sorry for you now?" Villain voice gave it all away.
The fire in Hero eyes didn't spark as it should.
Despite the coldness the city radiated beneath them, the cause of that destruction came from their flame. After everything, their spark dwindled. Close to how Villain saw them: exhausted, contained and hidden.
"I wanted to before" a shudder escaped from theirs, but Villain struggled to believe it was genuine amid the indifference. It was all a mask, and what Villain understood the most were masks.
However, they would not be unsettled. They would act firmly.
"Do you want me to tell you I was wrong? Well, yes.. Let's also agree that you crossed the line, even for your plan, whatever that may be?"
Hero barely looked at them.
"Is it comforting to think I have a plan?" Hero exhausted tone made it sound like a question, but their face showed they didn't need an answer.
Sweat pooled on their clothes, which they exceptionally sewed to protect their bodies from moments like these; a funny thing considering they were going to wash today. But Villain was having a hard time breathing, after the run-near-escape they did with the heroes.
Villain heart begged for a break to circulate the blood. Enough to take the dizziness out of their head, maybe make them think clearly instead of acting in panic. Suddenly they abandoned their civilian ways to become the villain.
But how Villain going to do that? They had to pick up bits of plans b and c to get that hidden place . Does it count as a failure not to foresee the possibility of their identity having been discovered by the heroes? Or, by any chance, be lucky enough to be mistaken for a cosplayer? They took off running, and then there was a team of heroes on their heels, right on their day off.
Villain always stayed that way in the end, as if they were always close to fainting with nerves. Now it was to hope that none of the heroes found them.
Oh, God, may they don't find them.
May their death be swift if they are found. Or that there is no death and they are dramatic…
Was it safe to come out of hiding? Did their breathing make a lot of noise? Did they run around aimlessly and they didn't even suspect that that civilian who had a familiar custom on their arms wasn't the villain?
Villain looked outside, not daring to move from their crouched position. They almost put part of themselves out the moment they heard footsteps coming.
Villain drew their knees against the chest, stopping when they needed to expand their lung. Touching their chest, the force of their heart pounded through the layers of fabric.
They sucked in air through their mouth when they heard the footsteps again, letting it out slowly as they walked away. A ringing hit their ears, figuring their blood pressure wasn't one of the best and that they hadn't eaten very well that day.
Maybe they can pose as a cosplayer. They swallowed hard as they considered how pathetic their posture looked.
But plans changed now. They needed to think of a quick one if they didn't want to be the heroes new capture.
They still had a vantage point for a kick. Villain needed to arrange their position so that their foot reached at least their abdomen. But they still have the momentum ready to get up and run. Given how long they were curled up, their bones hurt when stretched out in such a way…
A shadow that fell over them hummed. "Hi"
A bitter taste rose in Hero throat. Every time they had to look at Supervillain an alarm rang inside their head, shrilling and cutting off their ears. Personally then, Hero felt capable of spitting their hearts out until their insides stopped hammering.
Despite being impossible, Hero faithfully believed they had a heart problem. It must be something bigger than anxiety. Or was that fear? Expect the worst while is already happening?
Fearing for what they didn't understand, everyone had, didn't they?
But having the gift of knowledge was what made them fear. If Hero didn't know the truth, they wouldn't have the impression they were being watched.
They felt that way when they collected information from villains when they received one. Just basic information, heroic mission stuff.
Supervillain was an enigma, a mystery that no one dared to unravel for a long time. But Hero did, without telling anyone, and now they keep secrets too.
However, they wondered at times, 'Do Supervillain know that I know?'
Supervillain must have been thinking while staring at the hero in an expression they've never seen before 'This is my kid?'
OHNYGOD YOUR WRITING IS SO COOL DJDNKSSN
I just read the one where hero toppled down the building AND BY GOD THAT WAS AMAZING. I love how you wrote the hero in that, and the guilt they had as well as the villain's logical response to it. It was fucking brilliant. I hope you write more stuff like that, I absolutely love reading it, and I'll definitely be gushing about it to my friends!!!
Here's chocolate for your bloody amazing work 🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫
AAAH THANK YOU
Okay fine I really don't know how to react but know that your commentary make my day, it really warms me when people like what I write, so yeah thank you so much ❤❤️
"Not a good position for your spine" A voice hummed close to their ear, almost making the hero stand up and throw a punch if it weren't for the familiarity.
Instead, Hero turned their head mid-sentence, unable to turn their body with another one glued behind them and an arm extended by their side. The space that remained allowed only to watch Villain amusement with their fright.
"Fuck, Villain" Hero remained in whispers. The villain didn't move, only grew their smile.
"Hi"
"What are you…"
"It hurts just seeing your spine like this" here, meters away and height of a vast field, which Hero remained for who knows how long patrolling.
The hero 'protested' when they got up, trying not to give a reason for the pain and relief of their bones moving after a long time paralyzed. The villain, who was inches away from their body, breathing over their shoulder, was now exhaling their breath too close. The villain seemed more leaning on the barricade than intentionally trapping Hero.
"You're supposed to be evil!" - the hero desperately exclaimed, watching as the villain rescued a group of civilians from a toppling building. A building... that Hero had accidentally sent down onto them.
Villain scoffed, returning a crying child to its mother and watching as the two ran to safety. Then, they turned to face their nemesis, unimpressed. "Am I?"
But… What they…
Nothing came as they stared at each other. The only sounds came from afar, but enough to grow silence. Villain was the first to break eye contact and help a civilian out of the rubble. Hero throat remains dry all the time they watched.
It's not how it should work. It's not them who would play the savior...
"It's not a good time to say who should be bad and who shouldn't, I don't know if you noticed that"
What they’ve done?
Their strength has broken things that are impossible to break before. It's not that Hero hasn't done more things… Exaggerated. But…
No one ever looked at the hero with fear. Now, the child and mother who ran away ran more from the hero than from the villain. And that's ridiculous. It 's…
It's not how it worked...
The hero tried to approach the civilian, ignoring their own body trembling, but the kind of look they got was not one a hero should get. Everyone who passed, limping, bruised, covered in dust, took a drastic detour around them with a mixture of horror, fear, and indignation in their eyes. If there were any words directed at them, got lost to the wind and their own surprise.
It would be a weird reaction another time, what is the problem of some dust? Nothing so serious. But they knocked a building down with one punch, just a few moments before there were only screams and Villain deep breathing, while conjuring a force camp. Now…
The villain ground their teeth, barely looking at the hero to reserve how they felt about the situation.
Evil, coming by someone who surely didn't screw up everywhere they walked.
Always an arrogant smile plastered on Hero lips, knowing there will be acclamation for whatever they did, knowing that the defeat of any of their enemies would be the right thing to do and be damned the rest.
But it was also the moment of civilians life to stop what they were doing because of a random fight that the hero started. People were torn between celebrating and screaming in despair.
That was the first time the destruction was on a drastic level.
"Evil" the villain chuckled weakly to themselves after the civilian climbed onto the crumbles. They didn't say anything else.
Hero stared at them perplexed. Nothing around them makes sense. What they’ve done?
"But…" but, everything around them was real. Whether they like it or not "It wasn't supposed to be like this… It was an accident. You were making a mess…"
"I did a mess?"
The villain turned around, preventing the hero from continuing to speak.
They couldn't bear to see the hero figure like that, like a puppy who unlearned to walk. It's an inconvenient time. So sweet and innocent…
It was so pathetic and frustrating that Villain wondered how they managed to do this job. How could they still do this and manage to hide behind the shining figure? Everything was possible when there were words of a noble cause, it seems. The fault turns to anyone except them.
"Every single time you do shit like this is an accident?" there is no argument that Hero could use against this. It's a fact the villain was tired of "Put on a whole show for the town and leave the mess behind?" Villain voice broke the air, their fists clenched at their sides "Will you please help the civilians you're supposed to protect now?"
The hero tried, but either the civilians turned away from them and went out on their own, or they accepted Villain hand. "I didn't want to do that…"
"It's funny how you say that, at this very moment" they gestured around "To say who's supposed to be bad" Villain looked at them, body turned away, clothes swaying with the wind that started to come "I'm sick of people putting their trust in you. You destroy everything around and use the 'protecting civilians and fighting evil' card. But when I look back, you're not even there to help the places you destroy. People are hurt, Hero. Can you understand that? Because I do, and even I have my limits when came to my plans"
The villain would love to see Hero without their confidence that destroyed buildings and stirred up screams. But how long have they not wondered if one day Hero strength would be a little too far and end up breaking them instead?
What if the hero decides to try something else with their enemies? What lies will be beneath Villain 'accident'?
Villain looked away before they finished. No patience to listen to excuses, justifications, or self-consoling words.
"You are a villain" was the first shout that the hero managed to make.
The villain considered, half impatient and half angry. Hero was nothing but an insignificant little thing trying to make a fuss when things didn't go their way. Suddenly the attention they were getting from the audience, who were desperately trying to run for their lives, wasn't good.
"Actually," Villain sounded uninterested, "I'm doubting I'll continue to be the only bad guy here"
"What are you talking about?"
Villain weren't worried about answering their questions, nor paying attention to the frenzy that their eyes had and the tremor in their body "I always expect that from people like you, all kinds of self-centeredness" a grin crossed their lips "What will be your justification? The great good?"
"S-stopping you" Hero felt they shouldn't answer when the villain gave them a half-second smirk. “It's what the heroes do"
"Uhm, I know what heroes really do with their power” the hero tried to speak, but Villain continued “Now, in return, part of the building was demolished over a street. Miraculously held up in the air by a force field. But" a finger went to their chin, then pointing at them "It wasn't your force field that held the building. It was your fist that brought it down"
"But I…" What have they done? What have they done? What have they done…
"As far as I know, I haven't seen any dead" let there be none, the villain thought. They managed to conjure a force field in time, but it wouldn't hold for long enough. There were still civilians running as the wreckage began to fall again "If I have to be honest, little hero, I've done questionable things in my life" they cocked their heads to the side, looking down at their own gloved hand, the smudged palms of dust "But I will never put a civilian life at risk to achieve what I want. As some of you heroes like to do"
They stopped a meter away. Hero didn't notice in time that they were walking, while caught in the villain serious gaze and that their body was shaking.
"That's the main difference between you and me" the villain looked up again "But these are things your ignorance makes you aware of. Because if I were evil, I should kill you right now and reveal to the world what you really are. So that no one else gets hurt because of you"
The hero flinched. "P-Please..."
Villain didn't change their posture, watching the hero opening and closing their mouth.
“It's not like that"
The villain continued to stare at them above them, shoulders relaxed for the first time since it all happened, but an inexpressible expression.
"That's another difference between you and me" Villain lowered their hand. "You would kill me if I did something like that, wouldn't you?"
Neither of them needed an answer to know. Now the silence came, people far away to hear anything.
What have they done? What have they done? What have they…
“I hope you remember that. Because if there were no deaths, it wasn't because of you" Villain turned their body in the opposite direction from where the civilians ran. After all, they had to go before authorities see them "It was because of me"
They started to walk, ignoring Hero presence again.
Hero noticed they couldn't stabilize their hands. They looked at them, their fists scarred and the palm smeared with sweat and dust, trembling without their control.
They heard a sob escape their throat. They tried to take a deep breath, if only to inhale smoke and dust. But they could not silence (ambulance? Police?) the approaching sirens, coming for them.
What did they… Their hands clenched into fists, starting to gather energy around them. What have they done? God, what did they do? They didn't want to hurt...
Their feet moved away, muttering… Something, they didn't process what they were saying, they just knew they felt exhausted and nervous, feeling their power coming. They didn't want…
They didn't want to. What have they done? What have they done? What have they…
A pair of hands grabbed them from behind. In Hero consciousness, they waited for a greater force on their wrists by the cops or the agents themselves. They didn't struggle as they were pressed to the ground, brought to their knees.
“Please… Please…” They didn't know what to say as something thin pierced their skin.
“Everyone stay away” Hero didn't expect to be Villain doing that, screaming in a concerned voice they never heard before. "They're gonna explode. Go"
"Please…" the pain kept going, and Hero felt their power restrained.
"Quiet. I have to take care this myself"
"I'm sorry… I just wanted to… Help…" Hero coughed and stared up at the smoke-blocked sky. Made by them. "God I didn't want to…" Hero cried "I want to be better in my next life"
Villain squeezed their shoulder.
"You're not going to die" instantly, Hero realized the sharp pain was too sharp for a knife. But suitable for a clear liquid to come out of the syringe into their blood. “I just need to take action before you hurt more people…”
Villain silenced them with a pat on the head. Hero didn't feel the comfort that it should have, but started to relax as their body became heavier and stopped feeling the tears flowing, not catching when their mask was taken from their face.
Villain voice cut off mid-sentence, staring in amazement at Hero youthful face. "And for God's sake, how old are you?"
The hero wanted to argue they had completed the age to be considered an adult by the laws, but the darkness took them completely.
TW: Blood
"Something very bad is going to happen"
An old phrase, full of nostalgia, which Hero stopped saying when had no effect; no one believed in their power or curse. They never managed to pick a appropriate name for it.
Hero, in exchange, had been told as an imaginative child, but after high school, they learned what happens when people think you are crazy. Otherwise, Hero would believe they were. They would not let the stress of being a hero come with it. So Hero wasn't going to put their last hopes on the group of villains that cornered them.
They were desperate to find a way out, marks and wounds all over the body, from punches and kicks and blows that Hero tried to fight back. Their instinct tried to tell something under the wind hitting their ears, but they wouldn't listen while they were outnumbered.
Now, thinking a little bit clear, some of that anxiety wasn't anxiety at all. The sweat didn't come only from fatigue. But a macabre nostalgia.
Hero believed in scientific theories, superstitions, curses, myths... Any name for what they could do. That thing lived under their skin, trying to get out, whispering in their ears, making their blood cold and unable to move. After all that, they started to see shadows in the corners of their eyes. When that happened with such intensity, only them could be standing in the end. Although is questionable if Hero, the pain in their leg and blood falling off the nose, would do.
“I know you think this is stupid…"
“It is stupid, Hero”
“B-But nothing happened”
Mentor didn’t bother to say any word to that. Hero knew him well enough to decipher what his eyes meant. He slowly sat back down, easing the frenzy of anger that had left him energized, and propped his elbows on the table.
Hero fought the urge to run over the words, but they face the consequences of their decisions. Even if what they wanted most is to disappear.
“It’s purely platonic. I didn’t… None of this was on purpose"
“I really hoped not. I would be worried if it were a new way to get information, to seduce your enemy until you fell in love…”
“Wouldn’t it be different than some of us would?”
“… Since no one else in the agency would ever think such a thing” Mentor narrowed his eyes at their commentary. “Do you have any idea what you’re saying?”
The question sounded low and somewhat rhetorical, but Hero had the impulse to answer. “I never intended to start this in the first place”
“Fraternizing with the enemy is more than that” Mentor tilted his column forward. Not that Hero doesn’t already feel so small being looked at from below “Have you forgotten what I already told you about most of them? Do I need to tell you it won’t end well for you? I need…”
He closed his eyes. Hero realized with sudden horror that Mentor was the one scrambling for words. He always knew what to say and how to say it, he never stopped out of nowhere to sigh or pull himself together. He always knew, always knew, he was once a superhero that a lot of heroes these days look up to.
When they entered the room, Mentor recognized the signs when Hero was about to say something, considering that they wanted to see him so early in the morning, in the middle of the week, which already felt eternal to him. The person who was at that table didn't even look like he'd ever played on the field. He looked like he read too many documents, drank too much coffee, and got too little rest.
Hero needed to tell someone, right away to whoever had discovered them, while no one else knew they had – oh God – fallen in love with Villain. “I didn’t say any of this to anyone. But it’s not because I…”
Mentor opened his eyes and sighed again, circling the table from where he was before.
They didn’t doubt that Mentor might have always suspected. Since he’s already been in their place. He taught them a lot; how to handle their duties, how to appear in public, and everything they knew about Supervillain, even though they felt he didn’t tell them everything, no matter how much Hero asked for. Hero, on the other hand, knew things about him no one else in the building did.
But never, in all that time, did they see Mentor like that. And never felt scared of him like now.
“I don’t want to defend Villain, but they…” wouldn’t be something they would do, but Hero immediately chided themself “They wouldn’t go to that much trouble for doing this. It’s not the way that they act"
" Do I need to tell you that all of this will only leave you exposed to whoever will be happy to betray you?”
Hero could bury themself right now and wouldn’t make a difference. It would be better, actually. But they had to face the consequences as a hero should do a hero who fell in love for a villain…
“Did you do something?"
"No”
“Did they try to do anything to you?”
“No” Hero gulped, trying to keep their voice steady “The only thing that happened was….” when Villain pinned them against the wall. ’I’m not into these little games’, Hero once said, the red in their face and the push they gave when both heard footsteps coming; the smile that Villain gave afterward as if knew the reason for the urge to keep distance “Nothing"
Hero felt there was something more. They could feel it when Mentor got too frustrated with something.
"I’m sorry to disappoint you, sir” They look down “I agree with every decision that is made from this”
Mentor face plastered with disappointment caused the crack in their heart. Hero was waiting for the consequences, but not that look.
Maybe that was the last day they would wear that uniform? Mentor will fire them?
“It’s you I’m worried about”
His eyes paced along with the room, wandering through countless ideas. Hero gave his due silence, suppressing the guilt for causing him more stress than he already had. Damn, he has bags under his eyes, more dark than usual. It’s because of that topic he was like this? They didn’t want to worry…
Suddenly anguish pierced their chest when thinking about this whole situation. Didn’t Mentor also realize that they weren’t enjoying the situation as well?
Will anyone really think, after all Hero has done, that they would throw it all away like it was worth the risk?
“Please,” Mentor lowered his tone, as if finally getting tired again “Don’t make me say that kind of thing to you. Don’t tell me you think because you have some kind of understanding with Villain, that you’ve forgotten who we’re dealing with…”
“Do you think I’m stupid?” Not even Mentor expected their reaction, but he didn’t back down. Hero doesn’t either “I would never do anything like that. Never.”
Mentor was suddenly calm, and everything went silent so that his voice could be heard. Not really believing in anything they were saying. “I trusted you when you asked me for permission to fight them all you wanted, and look what happened. What if this goes to Supervillain? To Thief? To Other Villain? To my superiors?”
“I didn’t want this situation as much as you want” Their body jumped up from the chair “Are we talking about the same person, by the way? Are there any other Supervillains out there or someone worse who would do this? No one else knows but you…”
“Hero” they were finally interrupted “They may not know, but it won’t make a difference at all”
He closed his eyes. Hero wished they could do the same and all of that would be resolved.
“What good could come of trusting someone who will have every reason to deceive you?” something in Mentor tone made Hero falter “You know, that’s the burden of this lifestyle, Hero. I think I’ve told you before, haven’t I? I told you things from my own experience and how the consequences can be greater than they seem"
The shiver returned. Mentor words dragged them back into that fear. Mentor veered to the other side of the room.
“We can find people to trust when we feel like we’re going crazy” under this light, Hero saw his vacant gaze, focused on whatever he was thinking “Bu It’s very easy to meet someone willing to have one hand with a knife behind your back and the other on your shoulder"
Hero tried to tell themself that the urge to cry was no big deal. Mentor paid no attention.
“Anything from us to them will be a weapon. It’s just a matter of how long they will play with you, until they decide it’s time to pull the trigger” His head turned to Hero. Now they had a pitiful look “I always trusted anyway that you could handle”
“Then you can’t blame me completely”
An instinct told them to apologize; too weak for Hero to listen.
“I’ve had this for a long, long time. Nothing happened because I’m not dumb to be fooled” Hero pointed at him, proud and fearful with a look that turned somber “You like to say all this as if I’ve never been competent at what I do, as you love so much to tell me. But, suddenly, I’m not anymore, is it?”
Mentor watched them breathe shakily. Without a response, Hero felt their words out of their mouth.
“And do you want to know something else too? Villain is much more than what people say, yes. I think we have more important things to discuss than that”
They froze at hearing Mentor laugh.
A strange old sound came, trying to imitate what a laugh sounded like. Not even in an ironic way, but rusty.
“Oh, but this, Hero, is important” Mentor looked at one of the paintings in his office. "Do you know what will happen?”
Hero didn’t dare answer.
“When you’re being destroyed from the inside out by someone you let in, you won’t be prepared. Not like it would be if you lost a fight” he smiled, not at all comforting as almost seems “Because you were taught that the enemy comes from outside. And after this?Will you be able to expose yourself to someone with as much confidence as before?”
Finally, a good argument, coherent and effective, surfaced from the back of their head.
“Clearly it’s you who didn’t make it"
Hero stared at him. Mentor stared back.
"Excuse me?"
His expression makes the Hero want to give up and just apologize. Their future was at stake, but…
They also knew Mentor too well. They always had questions about their past, about who they really were.
"That’s what happened to you, isn’t it? Why didn’t you ever tell me?”
Mentor narrowed his gaze, but whatever he wanted to say, he kept to himself “Because I never expected you to fall in love with your enemy”
“As you did” His fists clenched, and Hero saw; the anger contained when they hit the right topic “What happened? Was an old friend? Was Supervillain?” Mentor tried to cut them, but the irony was on the tip of Hero tongue. “You and Supervillain…”
What has Supervillain really done to you? That’s what Hero always wanted to ask, but never insisted because they knew it was useless. But if Mentor expected so much honesty from Hero, they also demanded of him.
"Me and Supervillain what?”
Hero could. Just ask, is there any hypocrisy here?
“Nothing” they looked away. “It makes no difference to know. It’s not like you would tell me anyway"
It was Mentor turn to swallow hard and take his time to respond, while his head thought of various things and Hero stared at him in silence, trying to decipher what they might be.
“Great” he tried to be calm, but Hero also knew when Mentor wanted to close a subject, “We have things to take care of, indeed”
Neither of them said anything for what seemed like an eternity. He closed his eyes for half a second. Hero swallowed, not out of fear as before.
Hero looked back at him. The anger was no longer there but concern, and they wondered if it hadn’t been there before this whole time.
“I don’t want you to do the same as I did” He walked to the door and opened "Go to your train, Tomorrow we will discuss certain changes from now on”
It’s for your own good. Mentor didn’t say it, Hero could hear it from his mind.
First part here
---------------
Villain was extremely grateful that they didn't appear to Hero before the civilians, just to have the honour to watch the scene.
It could be the cue to take care of their disguise as a civilian, as one who would have witnessed what happened two corners away, where Hero was last seen and ran as far as their lungs allowed.
They followed those few meters until Hero stopped, still ready to go as long as they needed, counting on their luck in passing through the obstacles in a more practical way. It would take time for Villain to follow the pirouettes and jumps before Hero disappeared. Even if, according to their amateur knowledge of parkour, Hero movement is slow compared to their common days. Their chest heaved, he looked sideways, still deciding which way to go, as if they had to improvise at the last minute.
But Villain gave... No, they were forced, for the sake of their success, to admit that they underestimated that hero. They haven't made things any easier since last time..
Who knows where Hero will be tomorrow? How much have things changed from the perspective of Hero since their last meeting to know that they were behind them? How Villain would have predicted that they would have to deal with a hero who just didn't stop quiet...
But by chance, they stayed away, trying to assimilate what was happening when they saw three civilians nearby, approaching without Hero noticing.
