Wingman
The civilian had begun to carry a knife in their pocket, something the villain hadn’t accounted for.
“Ha!” They laughed sharply once they had gotten free of the ropes. “Now what?”
“You are positively feral, you know that?” The villain said, not looking up from their book as they used one finger to lift the hero in the air.
“Oh, I’m sorry. Would you rather I use my nonexistent powers to escape?” They struggled in their current state. “Not all of us can lift people with our minds.”
At that, the villain did smile. “I don’t expect you to use some imaginary power of yours. I do, however, expect you to be a good hostage and sit still.”
With another twirl of their finger, the knife went flying away.
“And I expect people to look me in the eyes when they speak to me.”
Sighing quite dramatically, the villain set down their book, and looked up at the hovering civilian.
“Better?”
“Much, thank you. So while I’m here, can I get a schedule of your kidnapping plans next week? I have a work thing.”
“Are you asking me to postpone? My sincerest apologies, but I do require the hero’s attention.”
“Oooh, someone has a crush.” The civilian was beaming ear to ear. “You can say you miss them, I won’t tell.”
The villain scowled. “Pest. I don’t get ‘crushes’ on people I work with. Nor do I go after people in committed relationships.”
“He’s not in a relationship.” The civilian raised an eyebrow. “Work with? What, do you clock in, take lunch breaks together?”
“I beg your pardon, what do you mean he’s not in a relationship? Aren’t you his partner?”
The civilian gagged. “I would never. He’s not my type, and you didn’t hear it from me, but the spandex doesn’t do him any favors.”
Oh.
Not ‘oh’ about the spandex, the civilian was right, but ‘oh’ about the lack of relationship.
“But all my intel–”
“Jeez, you stalker.” The civilian snorted, half joking. “We’re just friends. Practically roommates, at this point. That’s probably why you assumed we’re dating. I don’t blame you, a lot of people tend to think that, especially when he carries me to safety so often. Now that I think about it, it’s kind of your fault people think we’re a thing. Hey can you put me down?”
Obliging, the villain gently lowered the civilian, though still keeping them a few inches above the ground.
They were still a hostage, after all, and the villain was a professional.
“Yeah, that’s what I meant.” The civilian said flatly. “But I was serious. If we can work around next week–”
“Hero’s single?” They interrupted.
“Tragically so. I try to set him up every so often, but he’s always been uninterested. Now about next week–”
“How would you like to never be a hostage again?”
“Getting rid of me already? I thought we were friends. We did have that one lunch together.”
“Listen, pest. If you set me up with Hero, I’ll never kidnap you again.”
The civilian smirked. “I thought you didn’t crush on the people you work with.”
“I’m a villain, I’m allowed to change my moral code whenever I like.”
“Oooh, someone’s got a crush.”
Glaring, the villain twirled the civilian upside down.
“Hey!”
“What do you say?”
The civilian thought for a moment.
“And you’d never kidnap me again?”
“Well.” The villain cleared their throat. “I would at least be willing to work around next week. I still need something to get the hero’s attention if this goes well.”
The civilian grinned. “Consider it a deal…can you put me down now?”
“Pest.”
