This Is So Lovely, I'd Love For It To Continue. I Can Picture The Scenes And Thoughts Really Nicely ^^

this is so lovely, I'd love for it to continue. I can picture the scenes and thoughts really nicely ^^

snippet #2 — constantly rotting

CW — depressed / burnt out henchman , bed rotting , mentioning of medications, dissociating

Henchman hasn't picked up any of the calls from the Villain lately and dear god, Villain was displeased.

And for a good reason, Henchman was the most trusted out of all henchmen in the organization with how well they perform and how they had stayed with the villain since the beginning.

so, how did it all change? They showed up less and less ever since That incident, even if Villain had called or visited them, they didn't have the energy to get out of their bed- their boss being unhappy with their lack of presence was reasonable.

all they do is rot in bed. constantly felt like they were only wasting their years.

Hell, Henchman doesn't even have enough money to live anymore so not only were they on the brink of getting fired or even considering retirement at this point but also getting kicked out of their own apartment.

This is stupid.

They were unemployed in their personal life and even if they did show up at work again, they felt nothing but guilt as others started to talk to them less or try to avoid them ever since. They didn't even know what they did wrong?

so every conversation they tried to take part in felt awkward because of that.

They looked around their room, everything was..a mess.

They sat up on their bed, looking down at their scar filled arms. Why are they even willing to devote themselves to a criminal, thus risking their own life?

many thoughts ran to their head until their phone started to ring again. another daily call from their boss, apparently.

they let it ring until it hung up on itself, while waiting so they finally got up, put on their uniform, and got ready.

if they had remembered correctly, they were called for a personal meeting upon stepping in the building.

And if Henchman was being honest, they were anxious. but at this point, do they even care what would happen to them? no.

–

Well, that didn't go well. for the henchman, at least.

It felt like a counseling session rather than a meeting and it took them back to when they were in highschool.

back to when they got so fucked up that they got sent to therapy and put into medications.

the villain was..worried, yet displeased. they not only had known each other for awhile on the job but they've also been close.

fuck, they felt even more terrible after they were dismissed. going back here was a mistake.

They were ordered to organize more paperworks and, even if the villain didn't say it directly, they didn't want to disappoint the villain even further so they got to work.

Now here they are, printing copies of the documents the villain gave, I mean, most of the time they were dissociating anyway.

nothing felt real at this point, they felt extremely disconnected from their body. almost as if their own body doesn't belong to them.

they wanted to go back rotting in their room again but it seemed like it wasn't an option now that they were here.

they were just staring at the printer as the machine does its thing, well, at least their body is. they didn't seem to hear the knocking on the door of their little office the villain provided them until they felt a tap on their shoulder.

Prompt #40

The villain had been gone for a whole month and the henchman was glad to say that they'd held down the fort successfully. The supervillain's request for their superior's help had come as a shock for sure - and on such short notice too - but it was hardly an opportunity they could turn down. Hardly an opportunity that the villain would want to turn down: they'd dreamt of working with the supervillain for years...

In a selfish way, the henchman was afraid. They loved working for the villain. If this became something permanent - if the villain's new work excursions changed from a month of hands-on scheming to a fulltime employment then where would that leave them? The business the supervillain ran was different. There was no room in it for the henchman, or any of the other small criminals that the villain had roped together under their own small company. If the villain left, then they supposed that would leave them in charge but the henchman didn't want that.

After all, they'd never entered the business of villainy for their own gain.

They liked playing the role of assistant. They liked being able to support the only person they had ever truly cared about.

The henchman shook themself a little as the doors to the office opened, quickly brushing down the villain's seat and standing to the side of it - eyes roaming over every little detail even though they already knew everything to be perfectly in place.

"Villain, welcome b--"

They cut off almost instantly. The shadow of their superior that stood before them so uncharacteristically small.

The villain was pale. Their shoulders hunched inwards and their eyes stayed focused down - the skin of their left cheek mottled with purple and black, the narrow cut there barely a few days old.

"Villain?" the henchman asked, and their voice had never been softer. They drifted forwards slightly, hands itching to reach out. "Are you okay?"

A breath.

The villain's eyes turned up ever so slowly, the corners shining with unshed tears.

"Henchman, I...I think I made a mistake."

dang I want a villain to

This crap isn't fair.

I am so tired of the villain x hero trope. There's so much of it.

I need a damn fanfic where you're just a normal civilian who somehow caught the attention of a damn supervillain. I need that same supervillain to just propose to make a death ray together. AND I NEED US TO SAY YES. BECAUSE WHO THE FUCK WOULDN'T WANT TO BUILD A DEATH RAY???? I DON'T CARE IF I NEED TO DRESS UP ALL PRETTY OR EVEN DRESS LIKE A GOOFY GOOBER I JUST NEED TO BE NORMAL TURNED VILLAIN BECAUSE A VILLAIN

LIKES US.

Anyways, thank you for coming.

...This was so lovely, iv read this all in scholjrwejgvjkewjbkirehjsbxiuhjertjksgnvfjkfadnvcjk entrcxbj,x w4jtd,bmyhb

I wouldve skippe dmy math test just to read this, it was so lovely

Sweet Dreams Epilogue

Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six, Part Seven, Part Eight, Part Nine

...

"I brought donut holes," Henchman said, thrusting out the Tupperware as soon as Villain opened the door.

Villain blinked at them, and for a flushed moment, Henchman wondered if they'd just ruined everything. Was it irrational? Yes. But was their heart also on the verge of pounding out of their chest? Also yes.

A sly grin crept up Villain's jaw. "It's nice to see you too."

Henchman blushed harder, but as they started to pull the container back, Villain caught it. Callused fingers brushed cocoa-stained knuckles and suddenly all Henchman could focus on were those shiny beetle eyes picking apart their soul.

"H-hi," they said lamely. It was the only amends they could think to make after not giving a proper greeting, but as soon as it was out of their mouth, they wished the ceiling would come down and bury them.

Villain's grin only grew wider. "Hi. Want to come in?"

They nodded, and Villain caught their arm in a tight, yet surprisingly careful grip. Henchman stared around at the massive apartment, all shiny and warm bathed in a dim orange glow. Was that mood lighting? Or was that truly as bright as the lights went? They couldn't imagine that being the case; it'd get annoying after a while. So did that mean Villain planned this because they were coming over? Because they actually liked--

Villain's hand left their arm.

Henchman blinked dazedly. They'd been so focused on their own thoughts they hadn't even noticed that they'd entered a new room. They were suddenly sitting on, quite possibly, the plushiest couch in the world, the soft brown cushions like quicksand, practically dragging them into deep, fuzzy relaxation.

"Are these homemade?" Villain asked, plopping down beside them and snuggling comfortably into their side.

Henchman barely stopped from flinching. Even being here was baffling and amazing, but this was almost more than they could take. That feeling of Villain's warmth against their own, the brush of breath on their neck, the comfortable solidness of weight on their shoulder.

"Um, is that ok?" they asked. Maybe they would have preferred something from a bakery.

"Of course, my dream."

This time Henchman did flinch. Villain was close enough that they probably felt the muscles leap because they tilted their head down at Henchman and stared at their wide-eyed expression with sharp-edged curiosity.

"What?"

Henchman wrung their hands. "Y-you've never called me that before."

"That can't be right; I call you that all the time."

"Dreamcatcher. You say, dreamcatcher...n-not dream."

Henchman stared determinedly at their knees, unable to look Villain in the eyes as they melted over a simple slip of the tongue. Why were they like this? They'd been furious at Villain a couple days ago, but now they'd laid their entire heart in their hands without hesitation. What happened to all that past carefulness? Maybe if they'd held some of themself back, they wouldn't be such a moronic mess tonight.

"I suppose I never asked if you liked nicknames," Villain said.

"N-no! I do!" Henchman replied hastily.

Villain raised one brow. "Honestly? You're ok with both of them?"

Henchman nodded. They would not squeak. Not right now.

"Good," Villain grinned, winding a lock of Henchman's hair around their index finger and kissing it. "Because you're both. A beautiful dream, and a loyal protector." Their eyes dropped back to the Tupperware on their lap. "What kind are they?"

Beautiful? Loyal? Henchman's brain was already floating away on the praise. It wasn't as if Henchman had done anything particularly noteworthy for Villain, not anything that anyone else couldn't do. Except well, the soothing thing. Was that what they meant? They wished they could get over this nagging feeling that Villain only did this because they needed them.

"Henchmaaan~."

Henchman forced themself back toward the ground.

"Oh, er, glazed chocolate. I know you like fillings, and I was going to do something with cream cheese, but then I didn't have time to go to the store, so I had to work with the ingredients in the staff kitchen, and we had a lot of cocoa for some reason, but maybe you don't like chocolatey things, I don't think I remember you asking for any, but I guess you do like chocolate milk so maybe--"

Villain pressed a finger to their rambling lips, and they came to a sputtering stop.

"I love chocolate."

"O-oh. Good." Henchman's voice mumbled against Villain's finger, and the criminal overlord pressed their lips tightly together, smothering a stubborn twitch in the corners of their mouth. Predatory eyes sparked and almost looked ready to eat them instead of the dessert.

But then a moment later, Villain cracked open the Tupperware and popped a donut in their mouth. Then another. Then two at once.

Henchman relaxed a little. They didn't need to hear praise. Villain's affinity for sweets couldn't be measured in words. On the road, they'd been able to tell which desserts were Villain's favorites by how fervently they ate. Apparently, they knew a lot about Villain by now.

"You know so much about me," Villain said between mouthfuls, as if reading their mind, "and I hardly know anything of you. Except that you're a great fighter, a hot temper, and obviously, a good baker. I know why you fight heroes, and I know you have powers, but I don't know the little details. Like what is your dessert of choice?"

Of course, that would be Villain's first get-to-know-you question.

"Probably ice cream."

Villain shot up so abruptly that Henchman's heart gave a little leap. They looked at Henchman as if they'd just said the most shocking thing in the world.

"But you never bought any while we were traveling."

"Well, we didn't have a freezer in any of the hotels, and even if we did, you never mentioned anything about ice cream, so I figured you didn't like it. And I was fine with bakery food, so..."

They weren't sure what else to say. Villain stared off at the wall like Henchman had just struck them over the head. Was it really that big of a deal?

"I don't have ice cream... Should I go buy--"

Henchman took Villain by both their shoulders and pushed a small pulse of soothing energy into their body. The criminal's muscles relaxed almost immediately, and they looked over at Henchman with calmer eyes.

"It's ok," Henchman said firmly.

"I bought a lot of things for tonight," Villain confessed quietly. "Things I hoped you liked. Because I'm self-absorbed enough to have never asked. To have let you dote on me for weeks and weeks. I wanted you to have a nice time."

Henchman's insides went mushy. Before they knew it, they were wrapped around Villain's neck. The blood coursing through their veins felt warm as waves of soothing power drifted off of them. It was an emotional response, and they should probably get it under control, but it was all they could do to share with Villain how much they felt.

"I am having a nice time," the murmured. "I didn't come here for my favorite dessert; I came here for you."

Villain's arms circled firmly around their waist. "There's that bold streak."

Henchman smiled. "Did you get skittles?"

"A big bag. You can have all the grape ones."

"Perfect. Should we watch a movie?"

"Not a slasher."

Henchman chuckled. "See, you're learning already."

***

The credits rolled across the screen, but Henchman basked a little longer in Villain's arms. They smelt like stone and sweet pine, and the steady rise and fall of their chest made Henchman feel safer than they had in the last month. Perhaps it just made everything more real.

After a couple quiet minutes, they finally forced their gaze up to Villain's wall clock and read the time: 11:45 p.m.

"I should probably get going," they said, lifting their head from Villain's collarbone and pushing themselves to their feet. "The buses will stop running soon..."

They trailed into silence, not exactly sure what they were expecting in return. An offer to walk them out? A last embrace? A...kiss?

"Stay."

Henchman hitched a little in their slow backward steps toward the door.

"On the couch," Villain said quickly. "Or the bed if you prefer. I can take the couch."

Henchman opened their mouth to respond, words still undecided on their tongue, when Villain hurriedly continued:

"You don't have to. But it's so late already; you might not make it in time. And I can give you a ride into HQ tomorrow. Next time I'll stay over at your place."

"In the barracks?" Henchman scoffed.

"What? You're embarrassed of me?" Villain grinned, regaining some of their usual composure.

"No overnight visitors in the boarding hall is your rule."

"That's the perk of dating the boss, we can bend the rules."

Henchman rose their brow skeptically.

"I can sleep in the bunk above you and hold hands over the mattress. Like old times. Hm?"

"If you say so." Henchman said it as casually as they could, but their brain was already swimming with images of Villain showing up in front of their whole team, in front of their team leader, and demanding a spot in the barracks. It made them want to smile and cringe at the same time. "I-I can stay."

Villain pinched their mouth shut once again. Wait. Was that their way of trying not to smile? They were so free with their sly grins, why were they so shy with the genuine ones? Maybe they were like Henchman. Scared of giving too much of themself in case it was rejected. Henchman never wanted them to feel that way.

"Then you can have the bed," Villain said, covering their mouth a little as the corners began to creep too far up.

"You...um...you don't have to take the couch." Henchman's stomach did a somersault as the words escaped their mouth.

"Your my lovely guest, dreamcatcher, I wouldn't imagine--"

"I mean...I don't mind sharing... I-if you want..."

Villain froze. Everything on their face washed blank, leaving their expression unreadable.

"Have you had more nightmares?" Henchman probed, mostly to prompt some sort of response from their sudden blankness. Did they hate the idea? Like the idea? Had they made them uncomfortable?

Something like understanding flickered across Villain's features. "Don't worry about that. it's enough having you in the next room."

They did not understand.

"I-it's not just that," Henchman said quickly. They cleared their throat awkwardly. "I...like sharing...with you. Everything feels...safer, I suppose. Better. A-and I like you." Then they added hastily, "Th-though we're already moving so fast. I really don't want to go any quicker, so um, if we did share, could we just..."

"Of course," Villain said, saving them from any further explanation. They smiled softly, this time doing nothing to hide it. "I only want to be near you. Nothing else."

It was like that that they ended up snuggled together in Villain's king-sized bed. No pillow barrier, no awkward terror, simply warmth. Simply comfort.

Henchman rolled onto their other side to face Villain head-on in the dark.

"You didn’t just miss me because of my power, right?” they whispered. For some reason, in this moment, it finally felt safe to ask.

Villain pressed a soft, sleepy kiss to their forehead. “I missed you because of your boldness. Because of your softness. For your listening, your care, and your determined loyalty. I missed your depth. Your understanding. I missed picking out grape skittles and sharing pastries. I missed holding hands and caring about someone more than I ever cared for anyone. And I really missed that adorable stutter."

Henchman sputtered for a reply, but in the end, they just pressed their hot face into Villain chest and let them resituate their arms around them. That protective aura washed over them full force, and in turn, they ardently shared their own soothing energy.

From that day forward, there were no more nightmares.

...

Thanks, everyone for the ride! It was a fun series to write and I only got this far because so many people supported it and motivated me to keep writing! Hopefully, this is a satisfying ending, as I wrote, it felt a little overly sappy, but oh well, I was trying to make the fluffiest fluff in the world with these two. They deserve it.

Master Taglist:

@moss-tombstone @crazytwentythrees @just-1-lonely-person @the-vagabond-nun @willow-trees-are-beautiful @cocoasprite @insanedreamer7905 @valiantlytransparentwhispers @whovian378 @watercolorfreckles @thebluepolarbear @yulanlavender @kitsunesakii @deflated-bouncingball @lem-hhn @office-plant-in-a-trenchcoat @last-ditch-entry @ghostfacepepper @pigeonwhumps @demonictumble @inkbirdie @vuvulia @bouncyartist @lunatic-moss-studio, @breilobrealdi @freefallingup13 @i-am-a-story-goblin @ryunniez

@hollowgast1 @eri-would-like-to-not-thanks

AHHHHHHHHHHHH

okay so:

I had a dream about this one idea where everyone makes fun of villain for whatever reason. Villain starts to believe all those things, still feels terrible of course, but finds it easier to deal with it all when they just accept those "jokes" as truth.

But well, since I'm a sucker for villain x villain stuff, Supervillain swoops in to help them out of their misery

Thanks a lot in advance and have a wonderful day ❤️♥️

*Me reading this ask*

My villain x supervillain heart can’t resist. (May just be my favorite ship, even more than hero x villain. Just something about two crime-hardened people being soft for each other)

CW: Bullying, panic attack

"Smile~," the hero said, the big black eye of their phone camera reflecting Villain's queasy face.

The colors were muted, but even so, their skin was far too pale. Their lips seized somewhere between a grimace and a glare. A scribbled line of a mouth that gated off the burn rising in the back of their throat and anything else that might let it loose, even their own words of defense.

They didn't even know who this hero was. They were just some start-up who jumped them in one of the back allies. What was worse was this wasn't the first time. Not even close. Every hero seemed to have eyes on them these days. Even some civilians got the courage to gang up together and get in on the fun.

"Come on," the hero insisted, pouting their lips like they were talking to a baby. "Just one little smile."

Villain swallowed hard on the bile, wincing at the way it scalded on the way down, and shakily rose the corners of their lips. This was fine. It was just a stupid trend. People would forget about it soon. And maybe it was funny. Villain certainly had never met anyone else with such an...interesting reaction to fear. People liked it because it was weird. It was just a joke.

Villain's eyes burned. They'd been wearing these contacts for too long. The wetness pricking in the corner of their eyes stung like salt in a wound.

Wait. Wetness? Were they crying?

No, please. Not now. Not here. Not with their hands bound to a back alley waterspout and this vigilante nobody putting them on their live stream for the whole world to laugh at.

"Aww, why are you crying, buddy? You're just fine. I mean, I've barely touched you aside from those bonds. You're not actually frightened already are you?"

Logically, Villain should be fine. They'd won against stronger heroes than this idiot. So why couldn't they move?

“N-no…” Villain choked weakly. They had meant to shout it, but as soon as their mouth was open, they felt any force on their stomach muscles would be their doom.

Their heart pounded in their ears at this point and it was hard to get enough air with their mouth clamped shut. Dark spots flecked their vision, but the alternative seemed much worse.

No, Villain wasn't frightened. They were terrified.

This hero might be a rookie, but Villain didn't know them. They didn't know what they were going to do to them. Whether this joke extended further than their humiliation. What their limits were. And it was the same story with most of their attackers these last three months. Ever since a reporter caught Villain puking on video in response to Other Hero pinning them in a corner and nearly killing them. They should be somewhat thankful for that; Other Hero's shock had given them the few seconds needed to escape. But in this moment, with so many people talking, so many people watching...it was hard not to see that as a catalyst for a nightmare.

It wasn't the only thing of course...there were also the tics: handwringing during monologues, giving up on schemes when it turned out none of the heroes they were used to were coming, etc. Half a villain the media called them. Because some part of them must be a hero for how much they foiled themself.

Yeah...maybe that was funny. Maybe Villain just needed to understand the joke better, and they would stop being so scared. Maybe if they just went along, things would get better.

"Alright, viewers," the hero said cheerily, "what do you say we spice things up a little."

They moved in closer, and Villain huddled back against the brick wall behind them.

"Now, now, don't freak out. I'm just going to ask questions, and you're going to tell us some things. Things we've all been curious about. Like why you do it."

Villain squeezed their eyes shut as if doing so could hide them from the hero's prickling smirk. They didn't want to talk about this. They didn't want to talk about this. They didn't want to--

"Get that phone out of their face before I choke you with it."

Villain wasn't sure who said it, but there was a yelp and the scrape of two pairs of shoes scuffling in the gravel, and then the pounding of one pair running away. When they opened their eyes, the hero was gone. In their place stood a face they'd only seen on television. Well-dressed, unnaturally attractive, and sharp, diamond-cutting eyes boring into their soul: Supervillain.

Villain gaped. People like Villain didn't just run into people like Supervillain. Maybe they were both criminals, but they were in completely different classes. Supervillain was untouchable. They didn't even bother hiding when they went out because not even the heroes had developed a good protocol to stop them. The media compared them to a cat swatting at flys.

And now they were right here. This...this was...

They doubled over and vomited into their own lap.

Nooo.

The shame blanketed them in a hot haze, and their upper lip went cool with a gathering sheen of sweat. Villain twisted away from Supervillain's face before they could see their disgusted expression. "I'm sorry. I--" They scrunched small and pressed their forehead against the cool brick, swallowing the sour taste trapped in the dry of their mouth several times before mustering up a few more words. "Thank you. Thank you, but... Please go."

"That must hurt." Gentle fingers touched their raw wrists where the ropes pinched and scraped. Something cold and metal laid across Villain's forearm and pressed through the small space beneath the bonds.

Villain flinched and whirled their head back around just in time to see the rope slacken and flutter to the gravel. They stared at the mess of frayed cord for several moments before forcing their gaze toward the master criminal.

Supervillain twirled the long blade back into a holster on their side. A moment later, they unclipped their cape and swept it around Villain's shoulders, fussing with the folds a moment before bundling them up in their arms.

"N-no," Villain protested gripping awkwardly to Supervillain's arm through the fabric as their feet were taken out from under them. "You shouldn't touch me. I-I'll ruin your cape."

"I get it dry cleaned twice a week," Supervillain said, voice vibrating low and even in their chest. "It'll be fine."

Their arms squeezed a little tighter around Villain's form, and with a rush of air, the dark alley shrank and dropped out of sight. It wasn't even that Villain lost sight of it as Supervillain jumped; it was like the world literally folded it out of existence, leaving them sailing through dark nothing. Villain tried to make sense of it, but they were already in a daze, and their lurching stomach wasn't making cognitive functions much easier. Most of the journey was a blur. So it was rather sudden when they found themself on their own two feet again in the middle of a bright, cream-colored living room.

Villain felt like a newborn deer blinking in their first surroundings. It was beautiful. Like something from a home decorating show. Suede sofa, plush rug, tall ceiling...

Supervillain stood to the side, steadily drinking them in, and Villain pulled the cape tighter around them, as if it could shield them from Supervillain's view and hide their obvious displacement . One worn shoe tread halfway over the cream rug and when they edged onto the hard floor, it left an ugly, gray smear.

Villain's eyes leaped up to Supervillain's in a panic, but the master criminal simply looked down and up again. They smiled.

"Why don't you take a shower? Make it as long as you want. I'll leave some clothes outside the door. We'll talk when you're done."

Villain stared.

"Bathroom is straight down this hall. Use any of the products you find; I have a lot."

Villain nodded numbly and unsure what else to do, followed Supervillain's pointing finger into the master bathroom.

It was beautiful too. The bath looked more like a hot tub and the shower was like a walk-in closet. The mirror covered nearly the entire wall and only then did Villain realize how truly pathetic they looked, especially beside the rich, deep blue of Supervillain's cape. Hair a mess, eyes sunken, dirt all over their face, lips bloodless, and just overall small.

Villain broke eye contact with themself and began stripping away the dirty clothes, carefully folding the vomit stains inwards before gingerly piling them on the toilet. The air conditioning from the overhead vent sent a shiver down their spine, but it was nothing compared to the goosebumps still prickling their skin from the incident.

They turned the faucet up to nearly the hottest setting and let all that cold fear and alley grime wash down the drain. Steam gathered comfortingly around them in humid lavender and mint as Villain busied themself with lathering their hair.

It took a long time for their uneasiness to fade, but once it had, they wrapped themself in one of the bathroom's plush towels and peeked outside the door to find a neatly folded pile of clothes: a fleece long-sleeved shirt and a pair of baggy drawstring sweats, all roughly their size.

They dressed quickly, and a little poking under the sink led them to a bottle of mouthwash that rid them of the sour bile taste lingering in their mouth.

Feeling significantly better, Villain padded out to the living room, clenched hands sunk deep into their pockets. They found Supervillain sprawled out across the sofa, a book pinched between thumb and forefinger. They looked up at the sound of Villain's footsteps.

"Ah," Supervillain swung their legs to the rug and waved Villain toward the pillow-covered arm chair across from them. "Please, sit.

Villain did so, hunching their shoulders and staring at their knees. "Um, so, thank you again for um…well…all this, but...what did you want to talk about?"

Why did you bring me here? That was the real question knocking around in Villain's head, but they didn't dare say it loud.

"I haven't introduced myself," Supervillain said, tone as if they'd truly only just realized. "Excuse me, I'm--"

"Th-that's ok," Villain interrupted peering up from under their lashes. "I know who you are."

Supervillain smiled, even looked somewhat flattered as they leaned their elbows on their knees. "Good. I'll be blunt then. I can change your image. That is, if you want."

Villain swallowed. “How?"

"The media is fickle," Supervillain said. "They drop the old for whatever's hot. It may not be exactly what you want, but if you present them with another story, one that overshadows your current image, it will be like all this other stuff never happened."

"And...what would that other story even be?" Villain asked, trying to feel out Supervillain’s angle. There was no way they were doing this out of the kindness of their heart.

Supervillain scooted onto the very edge of the sofa. They clasped their hands, unclasped them, laid them flat on their knees. "Perhaps your new relationship with me?"

Villain choked on their own breath. "My... my what?"

“Think about it! It’s the perfect solution! I’m the biggest name in villainy this city has ever seen, and that’s not my ego talking. No one would dare touch you knowing that you’re associated with me. And with a presence as strong as mine, after a few months, you’ll only be thought of as my partner. This ‘half a villain’ nonsense will fade away.”

Villain had a lot of things on their mind but the first thing that burst out was, "What if it backfires? What if I ruin your image?"

Supervillain chuckled like Villain had something silly. "Not gonna happen."

"So...we'd pretend to date?" Villain said slowly, still trying to figure out why Supervillain was doing this.

"Oh. Oh, no, no, I was thinking more of the real deal,” Supervillain said quickly. “I'm not really into confusing personal feelings with work. But hey, if you're not comfortable, I can see about giving you a job instead. It may take a slower course, but it should still do the trick."

Their smile remained pasted on, but their forehead creased and the nonchalant wave of their hand seemed stiff. They preferred the relationship idea. Not a fake one. A real one.

"Why would you want that?" Villain said.

"Um, because you're adorable?" Supervillain said without hesitation. "We have the same ideals, same job, there must be tons of other things we have in common. And you've got this defenseless vibe around you that I can't resist. I saw you in that first video, and I knew right away: that villain is going to be mine."

"I don't get it."

Villain’s voice cracked without warning. They clenched their fists, but they were already trembling. Was Supervillain in on this too? Was there a hidden camera somewhere amongst all this finery? Ready to broadcast Villain's gullibility? That had to be it. It was the only thing that made sense. There was no way Supervillain—Supervillain!—was interested in them of all people.

“What about that video could have appealed to you? The whole city saw what happened, maybe the whole world. Everyone saw what a joke I was. It's hilarious how bad I am at being a villain. And all those weird things I do, fidgeting and throwing up and all the rest, they must be funny too because I'm a trend now. Why would you involve yourself with that? I'm a total embarrassment!"

Without warning, Supervillain's warm hand slid over their cheek and cupped the left side of their face. Villain wasn’t sure when they crossed the room, but here they were crouched in front of them. They tipped their head up at them, and those shiny eyes drilled earnestly into their eye sockets, maybe saw right through them. Their faces were still a couple feet apart, but it felt as if Supervillain was whispering straight in their ear.

"I want to protect you."

"W-what?"

"Let me protect you," Supervillain said.

Villains mouth had gone completely dry. This whole situation was strange, but a part of them wanted to believe it was true. They were just so tired of hurting.

"Prove that you really want to,” they finally said. “If you can…then ok.”

“That should be easy enough,” Supervillain grinned. They leaned in closer, hands bracing on either armrest. The heat of their breath ghosted against their cheek.

Villain squeezed their eyes shut and tried to steady their trembling. They weren’t prepared for this!

Supervillain’s forehead knocked against Villain’s, the tips of their noses just shy of brushing and… And then they stopped.

Villain cracked open their eyes. Supervillain stared straight through them, irises alive with a deep fire. Gone was the sharp, measuring look they’d maintained most of the night. This was hungrier, more destructive. Without breaking eye contact, they gently rubbed their forehead back and forth against Villain’s.

“I’ll start with the one who hurt you tonight.”

Part Two