cw: (minor?) suicide ideation mention (not crucial to plot)
Hero’s high-pitched voice shrieked throughout their house. Villain sighed from where they were sitting at their desk and set down the tea they were sipping. So much for peace.
They swiveled around in their chair just in time for Hero to swing open the door of their office and storm in.
“Barging into my house now are we? I didn’t know you were so eager to see me.” Villain remarked calmly.
Hero was flushed, chest heaving as they breathed. Their hair and clothes were messy as if they had just ran here from their house and Villain frowned. It wasn’t like Hero to be so…disheveled.
Hero growled, face contorted into a threatening glare. They stalked closer to Villain, breathing labored and heavy.
Villain raised an eyebrow. “You’re going to have to be a little more specific, darling.”
“You know who I’m talking about!” Hero exclaimed frustratedly. “My significant other, what did you do with them?”
Now that was new to Villain. They hadn’t heard anything about a stolen lover, and certainly hadn’t participated in it. They had other focuses than spending their time tracking down Hero’s family. Though they couldn’t say the prospect didn’t entice them, they mused with a smile.
Villain leaned forward with a smirk, “Oh dear,” they said, playing along, “I hadn't imagined you would be this upset at me for taking them, seeing as you give yourself to the world so easily. What's another part of you?"
“What did you do with them?” Hero hissed, trying to force their hand, but Villain just kept smiling wordlessly.
Hero let out a low, frustrated guttural sound and Villain chirped at how desperate and evil it sounded. “Just because you’ve been silent for a week doesn’t I’m not afraid to fight you,” Hero warned, a dangerous edge to their voice.
I'm so scared, thought Villain, rolling their eyes.
Still, they reveled in Hero’s anger and annoyance. Messing with Hero was always more fun when Hero didn’t know they were being messed with. Granted, Villain didn't know what this was about either but continued stringing them on.
“Hmm, what did I do with them exactly? Well, I certainly don’t want to spoil all the fun by telling you, but let’s just say they'll be...wishing for the end if my plans follow through.
Hero slammed the wall, “Dammit, Villain!” They breathed heavily for a minute before their eyes flickered and they turned fully to Villain.
They took dangerous steps further into the room, peering down at Villain from where they remained sitting, unperturbed. Villain vaguely wished they had a cat they could stroke on their lap to fully complete the scene.
Hero stopped in front of them, chest hefting with vexation, eyes glowing with rage, whole body tense. They raised a shaking hand to Villain’s neck-
“Ah ah ah,” Villain tutted, “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Hero fumed.
“You’re going to have to control yourself dear Hero,” they said, enjoying this way more than they should, “I am the only one who knows where your, ah, beloved is, and you’re not going to get anywhere without me now are you?”
They watched hero’s body visibly tremble with the effort to not strange Villain right then and there, instincts fighting against reason. Hero was always so easy to rile up.
Hero’s hand dropped with a heavy exhale and Villain looked up at them. They looked defeated. Their head drooped and their expression was so downcast that if Villain was a better person they would feel inclined to put on arm on their shoulder or tell them, it's okay. They weren't, of course, so instead the display just made them mildly uncomfortable. Hero sunk down to the floor in a sort of pseudo-crouch, a mix between a kneel and sitting ross-legged and Villain wondered how it could ever be comfortable. They began to vaguely wonder, what had happened to their love?
It couldn't have been a mistake; there had to have been some sort of sign that nefarious actions had led Hero to believing it was Villain's doing. Hero seemed much too distraught for it to be otherwise. Villain assumed the lover didn't run away out of lack of love, because, as dramatic as Hero could be, Villain highly doubted Hero would blame relationship issues on them.
They looked up from their musings when they heard Hero's (small?) voice ring in the room.
"Don't- don't hurt them." Hero's head was in their hands.
"I didn't even- I didn't even get to know before they were gone and then suddenly.."
This, Villain realized, may be a good opportunity. If they could figure out the details of the case, they might piece something together.
"Life's unfair, isn't it?" Villain responded.
"I just don't know what you want. I didn't- I know we fight but I didn't think you hated me that much that when we haven't even seen each other in weeks you'd just-"
It had to be personal motive, Villain realized. The only thing that made sense was someone...who wasn't Villain...wanted to take a jab at Hero.
“You- you took them in the middle of the night and I just- I couldn’t-.”
Hero curled over and reduced into not quite sobs but something close. Villain’s eyes darkened.
Someone had been messing around on Villain’s territory. Hero’s emotions were all good and well, they enjoyed riling them up from time to time; Villain wouldn’t even pretend they were above kidnapping. But they hadn’t. They hadn’t done this and someone else had and now Hero was doubled over before them keening over a loss they had no hand in. And Villain was angry.
They kept their expression mostly schooled so as not to reveal their thoughts, but let slip some measure of dissatisfaction, both to jolt Hero and serve for their next agenda.
"I’m not entertaining this any longer.”
Hero looked up from their hands, eyes wet and glossy. They clearly thought Villain meant their intrusion, but they secretly meant the game of the real kidnapper.
“Cease with your sobbing now,” Villain said offhandedly, garnering indignant protests from Hero which they ignored.
“You don’t have to be so distraught,” Villain said, “I haven’t hurt them…too badly.”
“But…what do you plan to do with them?”
“Well, if my plan was to use them for ransom, I have you now, don’t I?” Yes, that would make sense for why someone would kidnap Hero’s love. But then that meant someone knew Hero’s identity.
Villain cocked their head to the side.
“I’ll tell you that now your love is safe.” Though, could they promise that?
“Y-You said they were going to wish for the end.”
“Figure of speech. I have to keep you on your toes don’t I?” And I said no more sniveling.”
Villain heard the harsh exhale. “You prick.” Hero muttered. Villain smiled to themself.
While Hero mumbled, Villain thought about who, who could know hero’s identity? Who would be enough of a fool to attach hero on Villain’s territory.
They’re brain ran through names until it stopped, pinned at one.
“By chance,” Villain ventured, “did you see any symbol’s outside your house when looking for your significant other?”
Hero looked suspicious, but Villain couldn’t really deal with that right now when they had a clue. “Yes,” Hero said slowly, “ a white rabbit.”
Antihero, Villain closed their eyes, exhaling, then blinked them back open.
"What do you say we pay a visit to a friend?" Villain smiled at Hero's confused expression. “I’m sure they’ll be…glad to see both of us.”
"Questions," Villain cut off, standing up and moving to pull Hero with them, "Are not for people who want to see their lovers again."
As Hero stood up and the two of them walked out, Villain decided not to question why they were helping them anyway.
