FebruarOC Day 10: Julian
(Combining with the ockissweek prompt "caught". Also for context, Julian is the one playing Revenant here, and this is so damn long cuz I got talked into making them dance lol)
Stepping through the archway was like stepping into another world. The courtyard beyond was like something out of the romance books Despereaux occasionally indulged in on his free time. Fairy lights twined up the walls and banisters and across the open sky of the courtyard, interspersed with little floating orbs that twinkled and drifted in the breeze like fireflies. The lights illuminated pathways across the courtyard, lined with ivy and flowers in every color Desperaux could think of that turned the space into a little labyrinth of plants. Soft music played from speakers out of sight, just barely loud enough to be heard over the murmur of conversation from the courtyard’s inhabitants.
Inhabitants that, at as far as Despereaux could see, appeared to all be villains. Some were dressed casually for a party, while others were suited up for a fight like Despereaux, but all of them had their faces partially to fully covered, hiding their identities more than any hero would.
Desperaux’s blood went cold, but other than a few curious glances at his entrance, nobody seemed to give him a second glance. Sometimes, being a rookie had its perks, like being virtually unknown by most villains.
It also had its drawbacks, as Despereaux found himself frozen with indecision over his next steps. Did he slip out and alert somebody? Sneak around and listen in, in case any of them were plotting something? Try and take them all down himself, although with his powers and the number of villains he could see, that would probably be the worst idea?
Despereaux took a step back, trying to fade into the shadows to give him some more time to think, but to his dismay he hit an object that hadn’t been there a few moments prior, followed by the sound of breaking glass. He slowly turned around to face the villain he’d run into.
The villain towered over him, expression stormy as he looked between Despereaux and his fallen drink. “The fuck you think you’re doing?” he growled.
“I—” Despereaux squeaked. Polite manners were screaming at him to apologize, but he was a hero and this was a villain and oh lord the guy was looking more and more like he wanted to deck Despereaux straight into next week and—
An arm slipped around Despereaux’s shoulders, shocking him out of the daze he’d fallen into. “Honest mistake,” a terribly familiar, horribly welcome voice said from their position at Despereaux’s back. “Right, little mouse?”
Despereaux held onto his stubborn pride for a few moments longer, but Revenant subtly squeezed his shoulder in silent admonishment, and Despereaux reluctantly gave in.
“Yeah. Sorry.”
The villain still glared down at him.
“I’d like to remind you,” Revenant said quietly, “that you did agree to our little peace treaty here.”
After what felt like forever to Despereaux, the villain turned away. “Fine,” he said lowly. “But if you decide to give him to that cat of yours, I want to watch.”
Despereaux bristled, but Revenant just laughed lightly. “Unfortunately, Ombre can’t have him. I don’t like sharing.” With that, they pulled Despereaux away, deeper into the den of vipers.
Once they were hopefully out of sight of the villain, Despereaux felt comfortable shoving Revenant’s arm off his shoulders. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” he hissed.
“Saving your ass from a fight that wouldn’t do your pretty face any favors, little mouse,” Revenant replied, unfazed as ever by Despereaux’s blustering.
“I—You—That’s—” Despereaux spluttered for a few moments, trying to find the words he wanted to say.
Revenant apparently thought it meant they could keep talking, because they grabbed a glass off a nearby serving tray and pushed it into Despereaux’s hands. “Have a drink darling.”
“I—what?”
“Don’t worry, it’s nonalcoholic.” Revenant looked over their shoulder at him and winked. “After all, I know you’re underage.”
“Excuse you!”
Revenant laughed, manhandling Despereaux into a corner and leaning against the wall next to him. “Now,” they said, loosely hooking their leg over Despereaux’s, “I believe you owe me an explanation of what you’re doing here.”
“I don’t owe you shit!” Despereaux snapped, shoving at them.
Revenant just grabbed his wrist and easily checked him back into the corner. “I did save your ass,” they said, their voice lowering. They weren’t threatening, not yet at least, but Despereaux still felt a shiver run down his spine. He kept forgetting just how easily Revenant could overpower him.
“Let me go.” Despereaux hated how his voice went too quiet, wavering slightly on the last word.
Revenant backed off, but still blatantly stood between Despereaux and the exit. “Little mouse,” they said, and Despereaux hated even more how their voice had softened even through their vocoder. “Have a drink. It’s not spiked.”
Despereaux put the glass down on a nearby ledge before crossing his arms, trying to regain some semblance of defiance after cracking so badly.
“As for letting you leave, well…” Revenant sighed. “I’m afraid you’d run straight to your little supervisor about our little soirée here, and I’ve put far too much time and effort into putting this together to let some so-called heroes ruin it.”
“They are heroes,” Despereaux muttered, still not able to put as much heat into his voice as he’d like to.
“Agree to disagree, little mouse,” Revenant said lightly. “Point is, you’d bring plenty of unwanted guests here, and I really don’t want to deal with the fight that would cause tonight.”
“Oh I’m so sorry I’m ruining your little party,” Despereaux said with as much sarcasm as he could muster.
To his annoyance, Revenant laughed. “Oh, you by yourself aren’t ruining anything little mouse,” they said. “Only if you tell somebody, which I know you will if I let you leave.”
“And if I promise not to?” Despereaux asked, willing to lie through his teeth to get out of here even though they had the uncanny ability to call him on his bullshit more often than not.
Revenant’s eyes crinkled at the corners in a smile, though something about it seemed more sardonic than affectionate for once. “Oh little mouse,” they purred. “You shouldn’t mistake affection for trust, you know.”
“I—” Despereaux broke eye contact with them, unsure why that was flustering him out of everything. “Whatever,” he muttered, then in an attempt to change the subject, “Why are you even having this… party or whatever?”
“Many, many reasons,” Revenant responded, letting Despereaux have his retreat. “We’d be here all night if I were to go into it, and I have better ideas on how to spend that time.”
Despereaux’s cheeks heated with a blush as Revenant winked. “Fuck off.”
As expected, the words did nothing to dull the amusement in Revenant’s silver eyes. “Sometimes, people just want a bit of lighthearted fun,” they said, and it took Despereaux a moment to realize they were answering his question. “And I just so happen to have the connections and the willingness to put this together. That’s the short of it.”
“And I’m sure the fact they’re all villains hiding their identities is just a coincidence.”
“Do you want to go back to discussing how your view of “heroism” is so very naïve?” Revenant asked.
“Like yours is any less biased,” Despereaux shot back.
Revenant laughed. “Oh little mouse, if only you knew.”
“Knew what?”
In a flash, Revenant had Despereaux pushed up against the wall, so close he swore he could feel their breath even through the mask that always covered the lower half of their face. Despereaux managed to stifle the startled noise he made, but he still reflexively went to push them away before remembering how futile it would be.
“If you want to know,” they purred in his ear, “then you’ll have to gain my trust first.”
“And how do I do that?” Despereaux asked, turning his head slightly to try and keep them in his line of sight. “Without straight up dropping out of college and heroism and everything.”
Revenant hummed, their fingertips warm even through the fabric of Despereaux’s suit as they traced little patterns against his waist. “You know, that would be a wonderful way to jumpstart my trust in you,” they murmured. “But since that’s apparently out of the question…” They trailed off into a thoughtful silence, nestling into Despereaux.
Despereaux knew he shouldn’t be encouraging this, knew that he should be fighting and trying to get away, but they were warm, and something about their weight pressing against his shoulders and hips felt… almost comforting. Not that he would ever admit that out loud, and especially not when they could hear him.
Before he could think of something to say though, he was startled by a sudden sing-song voice. “Ooooooh.”
Revenant sighed and pushed themself away from Despereaux, allowing him an opportunity to finally collect himself and try and rebuild the walls he was supposed to keep up against them.
“Marelle,” they said. “I thought you were out with Sera tonight.”
“Sera’s home now,” Marelle chirped, eyes glinting and crinkled from the undoubtedly shit-eating grin hidden behind her mask. “So I thought I’d come say hi to Luciole, and he told me he hadn’t seen you in a while, and now I know why.”
“Mhm.” Revenant ruffled Marelle’s hood. “Does he need anything or is he just being clingy?”
“Just curious,” Marelle corrected. “Should I go tell him you caught yourself a mouse?”
Despereaux bristled, but Revenant just laughed. “If he’s that worried about not seeing me, then sure,” they said. “And tell him I have it handled.”
“Excuse you,” Despereaux said indignantly.
“Like you had him handled that one time?” Marelle asked, her tone too innocent to be believed.
Revenant rolled their eyes. “Kids these days,” they grumbled.
Marelle giggled. “Bye Rev,” she chirped, “and bye Despereaux.” She added a little flourish to his name, making Despereaux flush because what the fuck did she think she was implying, but before he could call her out on it, she disappeared into a portal as it flickered in and out of existence.
“You didn’t catch me,” Despereaux muttered, breaking the silence that had fallen in her wake.
Revenant raised an eyebrow and grabbed Despereaux’s hand. “Didn’t I?” they asked.
“I—You—”
Goddamn walls and goddamn maybe-necromancers with their goddamn wrecking balls.
Revenant laughed and tugged Despereaux out of the corner they had been keeping him in. “And since I have you caught,” they said, “come on.”
“Where are you taking me?” Despereaux asked, digging in his heels.
“I am taking you nowhere,” Revenant said airily. “We are going somewhere a little more spacious, and a little more private.”
Despereaux glanced around, only to immediately regret it when he noticed how many people weren’t even bothering to hide their interest in him and Revenant. He debated arguing for a few moments, but he hated feeling so many eyes on him, so he reluctantly conceded.
“Fine.”
Revenant led him back into the maze of flowery paths, still away from where Despereaux had entered, but at least now also away from the prying stares.
“So,” Revenant said after a few moments, “I did mention better ways of spending the night than talking about the reasons why I do things, and since I know you are just dying to know what those ways are—”
Despereaux really wasn’t, but he knew they wouldn’t care if he protested anyways.
“—here we are.” The path widened and Revenant let go of Despereaux as they turned to face him. They held out their hand, head tilting and eyes creasing with a saccharine smile. “Dance with me?”
Despereaux blinked, his brain shorting out for a few moments at the request. “I—You—You can’t be serious.”
“I always am with you,” Revenant said with aching sincerity.
Despereaux couldn’t contain his scoff, but the sound only seemed to make their smile bigger.
“Just because I may not tell you the full truth doesn’t mean I’m not serious about anything I say.”
“Aren’t you contradicting yourself?” Despereaux shot back.
“Will you dance with me or not?” Revenant replied, completely sidestepping Despereaux’s question.
Despereaux looked at their outstretched hand. A little voice in the back of his head was continually reminding him that they were a villain, and as a hero (even in training as he was) he shouldn’t even be entertaining any overtures of friendship from them, much less the flirting they were often prone to. But Revenant was magnetic, a mystery that Despereaux was itching to solve, and maybe some naïve part of him was hoping he could eventually change their mind and convince them to at least quit being a villain.
With a sigh, he slid his hand into Revenant’s. Or maybe he was just weak for enigmas with pretty eyes when they weren’t actively being a menace to society. Didn’t mean he was going to let them take whatever they wanted without a fight.
Revenant made a pleased little noise as they drew Despereaux close and wrapped their free arm around his waist. “Thank you little mouse,” they purred, pressing their mask to the side of his head in the semblance of a kiss.
Despereaux gave a token grumble, even as he tangled his fingers in the fabric of Revenant’s suit. Revenant just laughed and pulled Despereaux with them as they began to sway in time with the music.
