...I...I am SO sorry in advance - it seems all my brain is able to come up with lately is self indulgent simping. Forgive me T~T
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 (Orig.)
CW: Shameless indulgence on my side -AGAIN! -.-‘ Maybe a tiny bit suggestive?
Sidekick woke up to the soft brush of a warm morning breeze and swaying curtains painting blurry shadows on the plush carpet. She frowned, disoriented, stretching under the heavy covers. She was in her underwear and a black shirt. A surprisingly big shirt. One that wasn‘t hers. It smelled familiar. Like sandalwood and something spicy. She felt something akin to loss, her hand reaching around the other side of the bed, searching.
She shot up, adrenaline cursing through her veins upon remembering where exactly she was. Who she‘d been with last night.
Shit! Shit! Shit! Fuck! SHIT!
She was SO dead if Superhero ever found out about this! Gone was the giddiness and the heat of last night, replaced with cold fear clawing at her heart. Her face burnt up and anxiety coiled in her chest.
Where was he? When did he leave? Why?
She tiptoed over to the giant couch, snatching the first piece of scattered clothes to wrap herself in it. She felt her blush deepen when she noticed it was his suit‘s jacket.
Sidekick draped it around her shoulders, as she stumbled around the large bedroom. There were at least four connecting rooms, all closed off by lavishly decorated doors. Why the hell were there so many doors?! She cursed herself for not remembering the one they came through yesterday. But, oh well, she‘d been rather busy with different...things. In hindsight, she regretted her carelessness a bit.
She felt her feet grow cold, hurrying from one door to the next, peeking through a crack.
A dark corridor - nope.
A hallway with dozens of employees buzzing about - nope.
Sidekick came to an abrupt halt, when she heard something from the third doorway. She couldn‘t make out what was being said, but - that was him, wasn‘t it? She‘d recognize that raspy bass anywhere. It was as if she was being pulled towards it once more. As every time she got near him. It was like a curse. Like she couldn‘t stay away. Before she could reconsider her rather rash decision, she pushed down the handle and swung the door open.
She was greeted by at least a dozen pairs of eyes, one more perplex than the next. His henchmen, several vigilantes as well as some more and some less known faces from the city‘s underworld were all sitting around what seemed to be a large conference table. And in front of her, back facing the door, stood Supervillain.
He glanced over his shoulder, one eyebrow raised as his lips pulled into an amused smirk. He was only partly in costume, given she was still wearing his jacket. And his shirt. For all to see, that was.
Sidekick felt as if her face was on fire, upon realizing she was still in her underwear, plus mostly his clothes. „I...I‘m sorry“, she stammered, quickly slamming the door back shut with a resounding bang. She wanted to die on the spot. No, wait. First she needed to get out of here, quickly! There was no way none of them had recognized her. Oh, this was bad. So bad!
But before she could scramble for her belongings, the door swung open again, Supervillain strolling in at his leisure, as if he wasn‘t in some important meeting just now. „Excuse me for just a second, my dears“, he called over his shoulder. His eyes were gleaming with poorly hidden glee, upon taking in her disheveled appearance. „Good morning, dove“, he cooed. „You weren‘t looking for me by any chance, were you?“ He sounded strangely hopeful and Sidekick couldn‘t deny it had her stomach doing back-flips.
„I...s-sorry, I didn‘t mean to interrupt“, she rambled, clutching his jacket more tightly. „You...I just woke up a-and you were gone and...I was just about to-“
„Shh“, he hushed her, placing both hands on her shoulders. „It‘s okay, I‘m right here“, he murmured, his features taking on a more serious expression upon recognizing the distress in her tone.
Sidekick gulped, trying to hold his gaze, but ending up distracted by the fact he left the door open. She could hear them murmuring and whispering under their breaths. „The...the door...you...“
Supervillain snickered, a grin spreading on his lips, showing his teeth. „I know. Who cares if they hear? You think they would come after you? Not under my roof, sweets. After all“, he continued, leaning in to her ear, „this is my turf. No-one dares defy me here. No-one would dare lay a hand on what‘s mine.“ Electricity crackled under his boots, the hum of high voltage buzzing in the air.
It made Sidekick‘s already tousled hair stand on end. That wasn‘t what sent shivers down her spine though. This was indeed his turf. The lion‘s den. And she‘d waltzed right into it, like a lamb to the slaughter. She swallowed thickly, lowering her gaze. Did he mean anything of what he‘d said yesterday? Or any day before that?
She thought he did. After all, there was no way he could lie to her. Her powers wouldn‘t let him - no matter how powerful he was. Or would they? She didn‘t want to consider it a possibility. She took a shuddering breath, well aware of his assessing stare. She glanced up at his eyes for a second, marvelling at their bright color as so often. His gaze was softer now, concerned even. She quickly averted her eyes once more. What if this was a trap after all? Sidekick‘s mind was racing. She didn‘t tell him anything. Nothing of value, at least. Nothing he could be selling off to all those important people next door.
So why? Was this about her? Superhero - her mentor wouldn‘t come save her here. Not this time. If anything happened, it was on her and on her only. She had herself to blame for this. She wouldn‘t even serve as bait.
„Tsk, tsk, tsk“, he tutted, taking her face in both hands. „What rabbit hole did you just go down this early in the morning, hm?“, he asked.
Sidekick felt his amusement mixed with worry upon making skin-contact. She also felt he did that on purpose to ease her nerves. She opened and closed her mouth, before cracking a lopsided smile. He read her so easily. He didn‘t even need powers for that.
Supervillain sighed, shaking his head in mock-exasperation. „Guess my little bunny just can‘t help it, hm? My cute little lie-detector is falling victim to her paranoia again“, he teased affectionately, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. It was strange how these hands, that were usually drenched in blood, were so warm and gentle right now. How he used them for kindness just as naturally as he used them for violence.
Sidekick huffed, face pulling into a pout. „Stop calling me that“, she complained, wriggling in his grasp. „And I‘m not paranoid, I‘m just-“
„Hmmm?“ Supervillain tilted his head, taking a step closer. „Go on, sugar.“
Sidekick blinked a few times, beginning to feel stupid for doubting him, as her system was flooded with the giddy feeling he emanated. He was relishing in the fact he got to tease her yet again. The undertone of infatuation he conveyed, along with something stronger, more possessive, made her cheeks flush. „...it scared me - waking up in your bed alone...“, she sniffed, hating to have to admit she‘d been most startled to find him gone the morning after. „I thought...well, no-one‘s infallible. And... I mean I could tell you meant...what you said yesterday... It's just....hard to believe", she trailed off.
Supervillain‘s face mellowed out at that. He leaned in and peppered some kisses on the tip of her nose and her forehead. „Forgive me“, he murmured, the sincerity of the apology thrumming through her skull and down her neck. „How about you get some more rest and I‘ll make us breakfast in...an hour give or take? In bed?“
Sidekick gave a small nod, the relief making her knees feel like pudding. „That...that sounds nice.“
Supervillain hummed, low and content with her answer, before giving her a last once-over. „You look ravishing in my clothes, by the way. I think I‘ll need to make you wear them more often“, he chuckled, turning on his heels to return to his meeting.
Sidekick blushed, eyes following him until he disappeared through the door. She flinched a bit, when the electric sizzle of his powers elicited a cry from some unlucky attendant.
„I don‘t remember giving you permission to ogle what‘s mine“, she heard him growl, before the doors fell shut. That part would still take some getting used to.
She disposed of his jacket on her way to the bed, crawling back under the heavy covers, curling into a ball with a yawn. She‘d always thought of love as this ephemeral, gentle feeling. But Supervillain had taught her it could just as well feel angry, destructive and jealous. As if one would burn down the world, just to see the flames dance in the eyes of the person one loved.
Supervillain was that kind of person. Possessive, demanding and assertive. But also protective, warm and gentle.
And to Sidekick‘s own surprise, she didn‘t find that as frightening as she‘d thought she would.
May i request some drunk!villain gushing abt the hero TO the hero pretty please and thank you💕
Bottom Of The Glass
I am so sorry my beloved! I haven't...been very well lately, but I was determined to work through my requests. I hope this is to your liking, even though my brain isn't yet back into writing mode <3
Part 1 Part 2
CW: cursing
Villain stared at her glass, brows furrowed in a frown, as if it was the cause of all her agony. The amber-colored liquid broke the light from above, painting bright freckles onto her skin. Hero had been especially agonizing today and nothing could console her. Well, nothing but a nice long rant to her favorite bartender. "He's such a dick", she slurred. Her face felt like an oven and her limbs were heavy. Her head was going to hurt tomorrow, that was for sure.
A faint chuckle tore her from her sulking, making her glare at the source. "…t's not funny, Civilian!", she complained. "Mister got-a-stick-in-my-ass has no right to be occupying my brain twenty-four-seven. I need those capacities for other things. He's so mean too", she grumbled, before she got a bit quieter. "Batting those stupidly pretty eyes at me like a puppy…and then tripping me up!"
Hero shook his head. "Why so angry? Because he kicked your ass?", he prodded, enjoying himself more than he probably should. Villain complaining about his alter ego was one thing. But complimenting him while she was at it? That was certainly new. Well, she'd never been this tipsy before either. It was the first time he was glad he had opted for colored contacts though, so his bright green eyes were mellowed out into a muddy brown. Who knew she had been paying so much attention to his eyes during their fights?
Villain huffed mirthlessly. "First of all, he didn't kick my ass. And secondly…", she trailed off, her expression morphing to something between annoyed and dejected. "He has a new sidekick."
Hero raised a brow at that and stilled, putting down the glass he'd been polishing. "And that threw you into a crisis…because?"
Villain groaned, resting her forehead on the counter. "…cuz Miss rack-for-brains was all over him as soon as she set foot onto the scene…on my crime-scene, mind you", she muttered against the polished mahogany, fogging up the shiny surface.
Hero barely bit back a bark of laughter. Oh, this was precious! "Smells like jealousy in here", he snickered. "Why bother? He's a dick, like you said."
Villain whined indignantly, before unfolding again to take another sip of her drink. "…not always", she muttered grudgingly. "That's the point! On some days he…he's so sweet, you know? And then…then there are days when I just want to smash his head in!"
Hero threw her an amused, yet amiable look. "Easy there, kitten", he said, plucking the glass from her hands. She probably had enough for one evening.
Villain crossed her arms on the counter, resting her cheek on top of them. "Doesn't matter anyway", she yawned. "If he's even remotely as handsome as one can guess by what little you can get a glimpse of, he's way out of my league anyway."
Hero felt a pang at that, bracing himself on the bar so he could bend down to her level. "So you think you don't have a chance with someone, just based on them being good looking? What about me then?", he asked quietly.
Villain blinked at him owlishly, before bristling with a blush. "Don't give me that", she grumbled. "It's your job to be friendly to your customers… Although I am sorry for ranting to you all the time."
Hero shook his head with a small smile. Where did all the bravado and confidence go she showed during their fights? He gently flicked her forehead. "You give up too easily. It's okay to want things, you know?"
Villain yelped, even though it didn't hurt that much. She glared at him, while her drunken mind tried to process what he said. She sighed. "If you say so…"
Hero gave her a toothy grin. "Besides, you're not too bad yourself. Ever thought about that?"
She didn't.
But now she felt hot for an entirely different reason, even if she tried blaming the alcohol.
Next
@dracobellatorregina I @talesofurbania1 I @surplus-of-sarcasm I @kurai-hono-blog I @trash-queen-af
Hey my dearest! Thank you for waiting on me. I've been surprised this was received as well as it was, but I'm happy to oblige if you want more :D I'll try to keep all the informal requests in mind – if I forget any, dm me or drop an ask. That way it'll haunt me until I tend to it xD Please tell me if anyone wants to be on the tag list for this, then I'll add you guys.
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 (Orig.)
CW: cursing
Sidekick's breath rose in a jittering cloud in front of her face. It was the middle of autumn, days getting darker and shorter. She stared at the displayed pastries in the shop window of Rick's, amazed by the intricate forms of the delicious goods. It had taken her the whole evening to figure out which subsidiary they were supposed to meet at, given there were about six of them throughout the city.
Since there was a power plant nearby, she assumed this would be the one. Supervillain was careful. Very careful, to be exact. He couldn't know she wouldn't show up with a whole team, ready to ambush him. So of course he'd make sure the odds were in his favor, should things not go according to his plan.
Superhero would give her an earful should he ever find out about this. Even if the meeting was probably work-related, she was putting herself at risk by meeting up with a criminal of Supervillain's caliber. The only proof she had he wanted to actually support their investigations, was what little glimpse her powers granted her of his intentions and her gut feeling. Insufficient, as Superhero would say. But she was determined to trust her instincts with this one. It's not like he could tell her what to do forever. She wasn't a trainee anymore, for heaven's sake! He seemed to forget she was closing in on thirty now, hell-bent on coddling her forever. She loved Superhero like family, she really did. But as much as she enjoyed being his Sidekick, sometimes he was too much of a mother hen. She knew he didn't view her as a full-fledged Hero. He probably never would. No-one did at the agency. After all, her powers weren't of much use in the hero-business. At least not on her own. But she'd rather switch careers entirely, before she transferred to the espionage-department. In her opinion, what they did there wasn't so different from villainy these days.
Maybe that was exactly the problem. The blurring of lines, morally grey decisions becoming the norm in a line of business that should be a prime example for why humanity was worth saving. Maybe that was why people like Hero even had a chance to undermine their system to begin with.
Hero.
Investigations concerning him would begin today. Her mentor would take charge in the case, assisted by people who had Sidekick's seal of approval. In other words, people she'd personally checked over before. Up close. The fewer people were involved the better. They couldn't risk word getting out they were suspecting one of the most adored Heroes in the business. But Supervillain's warning still rang in her ears, each time the whirlwind of thought in her head calmed down for even a minute.
There had been allot more ambushes on heroes lately. Especially when they were off duty. Which shouldn't happen this often. Which shouldn't happen at all. Their secret identities were one of the most valuable things heroes possessed. It's what enabled them to live something at least resembling normal lives when they weren't on duty.
That's exactly why Sidekick's stomach felt as if it was churning with trepidation at the thought of disclosing her identity to Supervillain. It gave him quite some leverage. Then again, he was taking quite a bit of a risk too, so she guessed they were even.
"Good morning, short stuff", a low voice purred close to her ear.
There had been too many pedestrians for her to have seen him coming. Sidekick jumped with a small yelp, whipping around to be met with Supervillain's toothy grin. The sight of him out of costume was…bewildering, but that was probably due to the fact they've never met outside of work before. She eyed him warily, quickly glancing around for any of his henchman approaching, but she couldn't spot any.
"…I was starting to think I picked the wrong subsidiary", she said slowly, glancing at her watch. He was late. By six minutes to be exact.
Supervillain grimaced at that, crinkles forming at the corners of his eyes and making him look younger than he surely was, given he and Superhero were probably close in age.
Sidekick would rather die than to acknowledge his good looks, focusing on his slightly crooked nose instead. She wondered who was powerful enough to break it in a way that made the bone mend back together in such a poor way. The image of Superhero landing a hit popped into her mind, the thought strangely gratifying.
"My apologies. I hate to keep a lady waiting, but I had to make sure you actually came alone", he apologized. He didn't actually look sorry though, a hint of mischief glinting in his bright brown eyes. "I'm actually surprised you accepted the invitation. Does Superhero know you're here?"
Sidekick huffed, her breath obscuring her view of his face for a moment. "Superhero doesn't control my every waking moment", she grits out, a bit proud she managed not to snap at him for that. It was…a rather sensitive topic. "Can we go inside then? I'm starving", she grumbled, trying to mask her nerves.
Supervillain nodded graciously, a knowing smirk that didn't sit right with her tugging at the corners of his lips. "Of course." He reached past her, holding the door open. "After you." He still wore a smile, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. There was a sharpness to his features, that betrayed he wasn't going to let his guard down.
"What a gentlemen", Sidekick chirped sarcastically, striding past him. The shop was cozily warm and the delicious smell of freshly baked goods made her mouth water.
"You have a way of thanking people that makes it sound like 'Drop dead"', Supervillain chuckled.
"It's a gift", Sidekick cooed, putting on an almost innocent smile, before she stepped up to the counter. She could feel Supervillain come up next to her, but refused to acknowledge his presence. She studied the menu at the opposite wall, noting with pleasant surprise, they were serving all of her favorites.
The shop assistant came up to them with a beaming smile. "Good morning! What can I get for the lovely couple?", she crooned, her eyes flitting between the two of them.
Sidekick felt her face turn into a furnace, opening her mouth to clarify, that they weren't in fact a couple. But Supervillain was quicker.
"G'day to you too, dear. She'll take a grand latte with cinnamon and two sugars, as well as a French Toast with butter. A double espresso, some scrambled eggs and bacon for me", he tossed out the order as if he'd done so many times before.
Sidekick felt her blood run cold. That was exactly the order she'd normally get. What she'd been about to order right now. The color from her face probably drained quicker than the coffee starting to run behind the counter as they waited. How did he know? How could he know about it? Sidekick seemingly forgot how to breathe for a moment, her head turning to look up at him in slow motion.
Supervillain noticed her staring, turning to face her, that deceptively carefree smirk still plastered onto his face. He raised his eyebrows at her expression, before realization seemed to dawn on him. His features mellowed out a little, much to Sidekick's confusion. His hand rose to her face; Sidekick being too shaken up to dare flinch away. He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, his finger lingering against her skin a little too long to be accidental. "I'm sorry. That wasn't meant as a threat", he murmured, too quiet for the assistant to hear. "You can go pick a seat. Breakfast's on me today." He retracted his hand, nodding towards the tastefully arranged tables and lounging corners.
Sidekick swallowed thickly, her frozen limbs slowly coming back to life. She'd been able to feel he meant the apology this time, purposely allowing her to assure herself there was no ill intent behind him knowing her breakfast preferences. She nodded jerkily, her legs running on autopilot as they carried her over to a corner, from which they could observe the buzzing street without being overheard from nearby tables. Not, that there were many customers at this time of day, some lonely pensioners aside.
Supervillain joined her shortly after, a tray with their order in hand, setting her food in front of her. "What made you come here today?", he asked, giving her a brief, curious once-over.
Sidekick huffed at that, warming her hands against her latte. "You were the one who told me to come."
Supervillain sported a toothy grin at her response. "Oh? So you're just very obedient?"
Sidekick glared daggers at him, infuriated by the fact he actually seemed to find this funny. "Did you call me here to make fun of me?" She had hoped she could gather some more intel on Hero. Get one or two clues as to what was going on in the agency. She'd regret sacrificing her day off for this, if it turned out to be a huge waste of time. Well, at least she'd have gotten a free meal.
Supervillain snickered behind his cup. "No, sweetheart. Take it as me expressing my gratitude. I'm sure we can find a way to make this a rather insightful exchange for both of us", he said, leaning back in his seat with a content sigh. He observed her for another moment, before his expression turned a little more serious. "So – you can tell whether people are telling the truth?"
Sidekick glowered at him from across the table. Of course he'd be the first one to ask questions. But given her current position, she guessed there was little she could do about it. Not unless she wanted to risk being turned into a crisp. She took a bite out of her croissant, cursing it for being delicious. "It's not as simple as that", she grumbled, annoyed by the fact that everyone only saw her as some kind of lie detector. "Knowing whether a statement is true or false alone won't do you much good. I can sense the intentions behind what is said, feelings and motivations."
Supervillain listened intently, spearing a piece of bacon on his fork and making a point of devouring the whole strip. "Fascinating", he purred, that glint in his eyes returning.
Sidekick shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She wasn't sure if him finding her ability fascinating was a good thing.
"Why would you convince Superhero to believe me?", he prompted right after.
Sidekick blinked, face faltering and giving way to utter confusion. "Huh? Well, you were telling the truth and actually intended to assist us in solving this case. Why so surprised?", she asks, brows furrowing slightly.
Supervillain raised both brows at that, chuckling heartily. "Oh dear, if only all heroes were that idealistic", he sighed, his expression almost fond as he studied her. "You have no idea how many people don't give two shits about the truth", he sighed. There was a hint of nostalgia and pain in his eyes, but he quickly reeled it in.
"Is that what happened between you and Superhero?", Sidekick blurted before she could think better, trying to distract herself from the hint of color that had dusted her cheeks at his laughter. Of course she had read up on the case a long time ago, trying to memorize as much about the ranked villains as possible. The information had been sparse though, whole pages redacted. Maybe there was more to what happened between the two of them.
Supervillain's stare was almost unsettling, as if he was trying to figure out whether he should fry her for daring to ask or laugh at her for thinking he would answer that question. Instead, he took another bite of his scrambled eggs. "I don't blame Superhero for what happened", he said after a while, voice devoid of anything that would betray how he felt about the matter. "Things went down the drain, though not the way the agency made everyone believe. I'd just hoped…at least he would believe me."
Much to her own irritation, Sidekick felt a pang of sympathy at that. Would things have gone different if they'd had her ability to figure out the truth back then? But before she could say something she'd regret later, Supervillain cleared his throat.
"I heard investigations concerning Hero will begin today?" It was more of a statement than a question.
Sidekick could only stare, stomach dropping, wondering if he secretly had more than one ability and had been reading her mind this entire time. There was no way in hell he could know about it. Not yet, at least. No-one's network was that quick.
He threw her an amused glance, clearly delighted by her confusion. He nipped at his espresso, watching her thoughts race a mile a minute. He produced a small paper from the inside of his jacket, sliding it across the table.
Sidekick's fingers were trembling faintly as she picked it up. She unfolded it, while throwing Supervillain a wary glance. She didn't even need to read it, recognizing the handwriting right away.
Superhero.
Her head snapped up, jaw dropping. Going by the broad grin on the criminal's face, he was enjoying her reaction immensely. Sidekick shut her mouth and returned her attention to the writing, grimacing. She could practically hear her mentors scolding voice ring in her ears, as she read his message. Apparently he knew her well enough to know she'd meet up with Supervillain, even if it was behind his back. "Superhero put you up to this?!", she whispered once she was finished.
"No, not exactly. He wouldn't want you anywhere near me if it could be avoided", Supervillain said. "But he was the one who came to me for help, when the incidents involving your colleagues became more and more frequent. I knew he had to be very…very desperate to come to me of all people", Supervillain added, bitterness curling his lips. "He was reluctant to give me the necessary information. But even if he wanted to, exchanging information would prove to be rather difficult, given the agency would inadvertently try to intercept each and every form of communication on his end", he continued, his eyes darkening. "Being the city's greatest Hero is a prison in it's own way."
Sidekick swallowed thickly. "So it was no accident we ran into you during that last mission", she figured. She wondered, just how many steps ahead Supervillain was at all times. Her mind reeled, putting the pieces together one by one. "He had me verify your intentions, before giving you crucial details. And given he could trust you with this, I'd come in as the intermediary."
Supervillain hummed approvingly, his grin sharp. "I can see why he took you as his sidekick", he chuckles, before taking a look at his watch. "It's settled then. If you'll excuse me now – I have some havoc to wreck upon some lowlifes who have been messing with my turf lately", he drawled, sliding out of his seat.
Sidekick blinked, still trying to wrap her head around what she just found out. "H-hey, wait a second. How will I find you?", she protested.
Supervillain let out yet another chuckle, taking her hand and pressing a kiss to the knuckles. "I'll contact you again. Stay out of trouble, short stuff", he said, his voice a low rumble.
Sidekick couldn't even think of a reply, too busy flushing a rather interesting shade of red, as he strode off.
Next
@dracobellatorregina I @talesofurbania1 I @surplus-of-sarcasm I @kurai-hono-blog I @hufflepuffwritingstuff2 I @arealphrooblem I @neon-kazoo I hopefullywritingahit I @indarius
HI! are you still taking request? Well if you are, can you please write a reversed trope? Usually it's villain kidnapping the hero but can you try a female hero kidnapping a male (sort of mafia) villain? This is a funny idea in my head but no rush! Write as you like, have a great day :)
Kingpin's Shadow
Dear Anon, thanks allot for requesting this! I hope this comes at least a little close to what you were hoping for.
CW: suggestive language (mildly)
This was a bad idea. Awful. Stupid. What was she even thinking?! Hero glanced back to the backseat, where Villain's motionless figure moved ever so slightly with every turn she took, making sure his hands were still cuffed securely behind his back. Hopefully, the sedative would last a while longer. Preferably, until she was back in her safe house. At least the blindfold was still in place. She returned her attention to the street, running over a red light with an apologetic murmur to the taxi that honked at her. She tensed when her eyes caught movement in the rear mirror, accompanied by a raspy groan.
"Can't stay asleep, can you?", she cursed under her breath, tracking the way he swayed.
"…y'know, this wasn't what I meant with 'take me back to your place', sweetheart", he snickered as his head lulled back against the seat, his tone concerningly unbothered by his current situation. "I'm afraid the kingpin won't be too happy when I don't show up for the meeting tomorrow morning."
Hero gulped. She'd rather have him sleep until she could make sure he was nicely secured. Sitting in a car with their city's underground second in command wasn't on her bucket list. But she had herself to blame for that. "I have some questions. You'll either be a dear and answer them for me, or the Don will have to fish you out of the river." She tried sounding as sovereign and unfazed as possible, hoping he wouldn't hear the slight tremble in her voice over the noise of the surrounding traffic.
Villain laughed at that. "Oh, woe me", he purred, obviously not even remotely impressed by her threat. Hero could swear he was rolling his eyes beneath the fabric of the blindfold. "And where are you taking me? You didn't have to go to such lengths just to spend some time with me", he hummed, as they finally left the buzzing city lights behind, swallowed by the trees of a nearby forest.
"None of your damn business", Hero grit out, gripping the wheel a bit too tightly. They drove in silence for the rest of the trip. The road twisted and turned it's way through the hills, headlights almost useless against the fog by the time they arrived at the house only Hero and her most trusted friends knew about.
Which were none.
Plenty of privacy.
Hero stopped the engine and got out to open the door for Villain. "Come on now, ride's over", she ushered, grabbing his upper arm to pull him out of the backseat. She unholstered her gun and pressed it to his temple. "And no funny business."
"So bossy", Villain sighed theatrically but obeyed nonetheless. He staggered a bit, probably due to the remnants of the sedative still in his system, as Hero led him up the stairs. Maybe she had miscalculated the dosage, but at least he was more complacent this way.
Hero's hands were cold, yet somehow sweaty all the same. She never would have thought she'd get this far. She had never questioned someone on her own. The agency wouldn't have allowed it, especially when the mafia was involved. But someone had to do it. Someone had to put a stop to their machinations, even if it meant putting yourself in the line of fire. Better she took a bullet than someone else. The keys rattled in her pocket, before she found the right one and unlocked the door.
"Get in", she rasped, glancing at the cuffs behind his back to make sure they were still in place. She gave them a firm tug for good measure and then proceeded to lead him down the stairs into the basement.
"So", Villain snickered while she busied herself with the next door, "bondage, huh? Believe it or not, I'm more a cuddly kind of guy, but whatever floats your boat."
Hero glared at him, even if he couldn't see it. "Shove it! Come on, I don't have all-"
The words got stuck in her throat when a strong arm suddenly wrapped around her neck and the gun was wrestled out of her hand. They took a tumble to the floor, all flailing limbs and bared teeth.
Hero was no bad fighter. Far from it. Unfortunately, it was hard for someone who had been taught to fight fair and square to prevail against someone who made a living off backstabbing and murdering people.
She was quite sure she at least cracked his nose in the process, but eventually, Villain landed on top of her, gun pressed against her chin from below. Her ribs were bruised and her shoulder dislocated.
Hero's breathing was shallow and quick, her heartrate skyrocketing. Her mind still had trouble processing what was happening. He shouldn't have been able to get rid of the cuffs. He shouldn't have.
"How...h-how did you-?"
Guess they didn't call him the kingpin's shadow for nothing. Disappearing into thin air whenever one thought to finally have a hold of him.
"Well, this is awkward", he purred, reaching up with his free hand to tug off the blindfold, the cuffs dangling uselessly from his wrist. His eyes had a menacing glow to them, a faint ember-colored light that pierced through the darkness of the basement. His nose was bleeding, crimson streaking his now split lip. He leant down until he was speaking right next to her ear. "Change of plans – how about I ask you some questions, sugar?"
@dracobellatorregina I @talesofurbania1 I @surplus-of-sarcasm I @kurai-hono-blog I @trash-queen-af I @atlaserine I @neon-kazoo
Thank you guys so much for being patient and for welcoming me back so warmly after that (actually quite long) hiatus! I hope this is to your liking my sweets – let me know what you think :3
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 (Orig.)
CW: none, for once :O
Superhero barked out a laugh, not taking his eyes off Supervillain and his protégé. "A mole, you say?"
Supervillain seemed unfazed, but Sidekick could feel an underlying annoyance at her mentor's disbelief. "Your operation plans and the heroes' individual deployment times have been leaked recently, no?", he mused, tilting his head, as if he didn't already know the answer.
Sidekick felt her stomach lurch. She knew he was well informed. But this intel had been classified. The executives aside, no-one below b-rank heroes and maybe their sidekicks knew about it.
Superhero narrowed his eyes at his nemesis, looking him up and down as if assessing whether he was bluffing or not. "So? Who is it?", he asked, disbelief evident in his tone.
"Hero", Supervillain deadpanned.
Sidekick nearly choked on her own spit, straining against his hold on her. Hero. Her senior and Superhero's Sidekick before her. This couldn't be true! It couldn't be. He and Superhero had been working together for years, before she even joined the agency. He was trusted among the league, reliable and…and…
And yet she could feel it. Supervillain wasn't lying. At least he himself was convinced it was the truth.
Superhero chuckled hoarsely, the sound resembling a wheeze. He didn't believe his former friend one bit. "Yeah, right. Nice try, but-" He went quiet, when his eyes met Sidekick's. He frowned, trying to decipher the look on her face.
Sidekick didn't know what to make of this either, but…She slowly shook her head, as far as the hand still clamped down on her mouth allowed. No. Supervillain was in fact not lying, as far as she could tell.
Superhero's face blanked, then went pale, as he considered his old friend's words for the first time. If Hero was a mole…the consequences would be unprecedented in the history of the agency…of the whole league! There would be so many lives, jobs and existences at stake.
Supervillain, in the meantime, emitted waves of confusion, followed by curiosity, as he returned his attention to Sidekick. "Hmm? And what are you shaking your head for, sweetheart?", he muttered, his gaze flickering between her and her mentor's increasing concern.
Sidekick felt the realization set in, like little sparks going off in the back of Supervillain's head.
"Ahh…what do you know? A human lie detector, it seems. How fascinating…", he purred lowly next to her ear, "…and convenient for me." He straightened himself again, looking Superhero dead in the eye. "The agency won't last until the end of this year, if Hero isn't stopped. So I advise you to look into the recent leak, if you don't want your precious heroes to fall victim to more ambushes – one, by one." He lifted his hand from her face, opting for holding her head in a chokehold with his arm. "Tell him, short stuff."
But before Sidekick could protest being treated like an interrogation machine, Superhero had gathered his bearings again, balling his hands into fists until his knuckles cracked. "And what do you get out of this, hm? Why give us a heads-up? Wouldn't it be awfully convenient for you if shit hit the fan at the agency?"
Supervillain snarled, electricity sizzling all around him and making the hair on Sidekick's body stand on end. "Unlike your employers, I don't profit from peoples' misery", he spat. "There are still people at the agency I'd rather not find torn into pieces in some filthy back alley."
Sidekick stilled in his hold for a moment. She felt…concern, worry even, as her captor grit those words out. Frustration and…care. He cared. About Superhero. About the others who would inevitably be harmed in the process, if Hero actually leaked more information to the wrong people.
"As if you ever cared about other's misery!", her mentor barked, the vein at his temple protruding again. "You were never there when I needed you. Why bother now? We-"
"Superhero, he…he means it", Sidekick interrupted, voice still a bit shaky. She wasn't sure of Supervillain's intentions, but she knew he actually wanted to help them, at least as far as Hero was involved. "Maybe we should look into Hero for a while."
She could feel Supervillain's surprise prickle on her skin, disbelief and…relief. Sidekick craned her neck slightly to look up at him, his expression showing a hint of…was that gratitude? She probably just imagined it, since his face quickly steeled itself again.
"How about it? You look into it and if you find substantive evidence, I'll tell you more", Supervillain suggested. "I would be willing to let the kitten validate the intel. Thoroughly, if necessary", he crooned with a wink.
Sidekick, groaned at that, trying to elbow him, but his grip on her was unrelenting.
Superhero snorted, grinding his teeth. He looked torn. Supervillain's words, combined with her affirmation of their truth, made him doubt. Doubt Hero, doubt the security of the agency, the safety of his colleagues and friends. But it still didn't convince him to trust Supervillain. "If you honestly think we would-"
"I accept", Sidekick blurted. If this was true, then Supervillain was their best bet. She was willing to take the risk. Even if Superhero would be furious.
"Sidekick!", her mentor hissed, shooting her a glare that promised a full-grown lecture once they were back at base.
Supervillain chuckled after a moment, which Sidekick knew it took him to process she actually accepted. "Good girl", he huffed. "I'll contact you once you confirmed the information then. If you're not dead by then…", he added ominously.
Sidekick could tell there was more to that than he let on, which made it all the more unsettling. Were there more people involved than they knew? Was Hero the only one who had turned his back on the agency? She hated how this information made her suspicious, of everyone and everything she thought she knew. She yelped, when he suddenly released her and gave her a firm shove towards Superhero.
Her mentor caught her, his grip a bit too tight. He was usually adapt at calculating his strength, so normal people wouldn't get hurt. But Sidekick could feel his worry blanket her like a heavy coat.
Once she spun around, Supervillain had already left, using a hole in the floor to escape.
"Hey, Sidekick! Hey, are you alright?", Superhero fussed, looking her over.
"I'm…I'm fine", she muttered, mind still reeling as the shock finally settled in. There weren't many who left unscathed after an encounter with Supervillain. It wasn't an experience that had made it onto her bucket list. But now, it seemed as if she would have to meet him again, if his hint was correct.
"What were you thinking?!", Superhero bellowed, once he was sure she was unharmed. "Supervillain can't be trusted. You don't even know what his objective with all this is."
"He wasn't lying", Sidekick said calmly, meeting her mentor's gaze. "If what he said was correct, we can use any bit of information we can get our hands on. It would be a waste to not take his offer, don't you think?"
Superhero cursed, before taking a deep breath. He knew she was right, but that didn't mean he approved of the idea of having her function as the intermediary. "Let's go home and think this through, okay?"
Sidekick nodded. Now that the adrenaline had subsided, she felt tired, her body still twitching slightly from the strong zap earlier.
Paperwork was a nightmare after today's mission and it was already dark outside by the time she made it home. She took a long, hot shower, before grabbing some leftover pizza from the fridge.
She padded over to the terrarium on the dresser to look for Mr. Scales. She smiled tiredly, when she spotted his large, protruding eyes underneath the larger branch.
Sidekick frowned in mild confusion, when she noticed he seemed to be munching on something. She went rigid, upon recognizing it as a piece of paper, with a handwritten note on it.
'Thank you – for believing me. Meet me at Rick's, tomorrow at 9 a.m. Don't be late, short stuff.'
Next
@dracobellatorregina I @talesofurbania1 I @surplus-of-sarcasm I @kurai-hono-blog I @hufflepuffwritingstuff2 I @arealphrooblem I @faytelumos I @liv-007
So...this seemed to be surprisingly appreciated by you guys. @arealphrooblem and @liv-007 asked asked if I could write some sort of...prologue? Well, who am I to deny my lovelies?! I hope you enjoy! Though I think I might need more than one part for this ^^´
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 (Orig)
CW: electrocution, hostage situation
Sidekick hurried up the stairs, the constant bark of her mentor‘s instructions blaring through the small earpiece. „Tsk! No need to yell like that. I can hear you just fine“, she cussed.
„I know you can hear me“, Superhero stated. „But I also know you have a knack for ignoring me when it‘s most crutial. So I‘m saying it again - be careful!“
„You sound like my dad“, Sidekick snickered, climbing a big piece of debris from the ceiling that blocked her way.
„I thank god every day I‘m not“, Superhero groaned. „I‘m getting enough gray hair as it is.“
Sidekick huffed. „You don‘t even have that many gray hairs! Besides, you‘re nowhere near old enough for that post“, she pointed out, hacking away at a small terminal to gain acces to the next level. „But the position of my older brother is still open, if you‘re interested.“
Superhero laughed. „In your dreams, maybe“, he sighed. „Now focus.“
„Yeah, yeah“, she brushed him off, rushing out of the stairwell and into the second floor. She took a look around the server room she‘d just barged into. The electronics were fried, as expected. „I‘m on my mark. Where to next?“, she inquired, raising the inside of her wrist to her mouth so the mic of her bracelet would pic up on her whispering.
Superhero sighed, but sent her a set of codes anyway. „There should be a switch cabinet in the small extra room to your left. Open it with the combination I just transmitted and tell me what you see.“
Sidekick used the extinguisher to her left to break the glass of the door upon finding it locked, carefully stepping over the shards and making her way to the large box. She yanked one of the creaking metal doors open, eyes darting over a messy cable job. „What a shitshow...“, she groaned, pulling off her gloves to get to work when suddenly, all the hair on her body stood up.
She froze when air displacerd behind her, a heavy ungloved hand landing on her face and muffling any attempt at alarming the rest of her team downstairs. Another one grabbed her wrist, to keep her from flicking the emergency switch on her bracelet.
„Fancy meeting you here“, a low voice hummed, an amused undertone of recognition mixed into the mockery. „Hello, little fledgeling.“ It sent a nauseating wave of adrenaline through her system. Supervillain!
Before she knew it, a strong current wracked through her body. Not enough voltage to knock her unconscious, but enough to leave her twitching and her limbs feeling like rubber. She shrieked, not having expected it to hurt that badly, before slumping backwards and against the criminals chest. „Mmmmpf!“, she voiced her protest, her free hand tugging on his arm, but it was futile, She couldn‘t muster any strength at all and her digits felt numb.
Supervillain chuckled, raising her other wrist and nuzzling his face into her palm. „Hush now, I need to talk to your mentor“, he murmured, his powers meddling with the almost fried insides of her bracelet in order to get it to work again. Once the link was re-established, they could already hear Superhero‘s concerned rambling, loud enough to be audible if one stood close to her ear.
„Sidekick! Are you still there? What‘s with the wonky connection? Answer me!“
„Sidekick‘s a little...occupied at the moment“, Supervillain cooed into the mike, causing her mentor on the other end to go eerily silent. „Hello, old friend.“
Sidekick was still dazed from the electro shock, absentmindedly wondering how Supervillain could still talk to her mentor like that. What was this feeling she was picking up on? Nostalgia? Fondness? That couldn‘t be. Her powers must have been fried too. She‘d only recently found out about their shared past. Them having been friends once didn‘t mean Supervillain was someone who could be trusted though. Or someone who meant them well. On the contrary. He was the most dangerous criminal of this city. She thrashed weakly in his grip, trying to get his hand off her face. She even attempted to bite his hand.
It only resulted in him shoving her forward and flush against the cable box though, effectively trapping her in place with his weight. She shivered, when she felt his lips grazing the shell of her ear. Sometimes she cursed the fact her powers needed skin-contact, but in moments like this, it came in handy with unassuming opponents. Good thing she‘d taken her gloves off just in the nick of time.
„Stop squirming, or the next zap will fry your pretty little brain along with the rest of your insides. Got it, sweetie?“, he growled lowly, voice deep enough she could feel it vibrate in her skull, yet somehow inapropriately sultry.
She squeezed her eyes shut, the menacing aura he emenated echoing through her entire body and causing goosebumps to spread all over her skin. Still, much to her surprise, her powers didn‘t pick up on...actual intent to kill her? A threat, a goal all his intent was clearly set on, but...no bloodlust. She whined in protest, but stopped fighting against his hold. She would have thought someone like him didn‘t think twice before offing small fry like her. But he didn‘t seem inclined to.
Supervillain hummed approvingly at seeing her cooperate. „Feisty little thing“, he noted with another chuckle.
They could hear Superhero take a shaky breath on the other end, apparently straining to keep his anger at bay. „Supervillain, I swear, if you so much as touch her, I‘ll-“
„If you don‘t want me to have some fun with your precious little protégé, be a dear, get over here and have a little chat with me, yeah?“, Supervillain cut him off, face back up next to her wrist. „Meet me in the cafetéria in five. Don‘t be late“, he added, before shortcircuiting the bracelet with yet another zap. He pooled the bud out of her ear, crushing it beneath his boot. Then he adjusted his grip on her wrist to twist her arm behind her back, peeling them off the cabel box. „Move it, short stuff, we don‘t want to make your mentor wait, do we?“
Sidekick winced when his grip turned almost bruising, stumbling along and clinging to his arm with her free hand as he pushed her through the hallways. She was still a bit unsteady on her feet. She didn‘t want to imagine what it would feel like if Supervillain didn‘t hold back. She‘s seen the damage he could cause on TV, but experiencing him close up like this had never been on her wishlist.
When they arrived in the cafetéria, her mentor was already waiting for them. Judging by the hole in the wall, he must have plowed right through it in his hurry. He was...fuming, to say the least. Sidekick could tell, even if he tried his best to appear composed. The swollen artery on his temple gave him away. Still, she could see the concern for her etched into his every feature. It made him look more his age.
„What do you want?!“, Superhero barked, clearly not amused by this whole situation.
Supervillain hummed, brushing his thumb along her cheek, while still pressing her head against his chest. „It‘s less of what I want, than what I want to give you“, he mused. „I believe the information I have would proove to be quite valuable to you.“
Superhero grit his teeth. „That‘s what all this fuss is abaout? This whole meeting could have been an email!“
Supervillain tutted. „I don‘t want anyone else listening in. So first of all, why don‘t you get rid of the bracer and the earpiece for me?“
Sidekick frowned in confusion. She didn‘t detect any lies in what he said. He really wanted to share information? Why? What for? She exchanged a glance with her mentor. No matter how unpleasant it was to be held hostage by the city‘s most powerful criminal, her very position actually played into their hands right now.
Superhero muttered some curses, before reluctantly obliging, crushing both devices in his bare hand. „So? What is it?“
Sidekick felt Supervillain straighten behind her. Apparently playtime was over.
„You have a mole, Superhero.“
Next
Taglist:
@dracobellatorregina I @talesofurbania1 I @surplus-of-sarcasm I @kurai-hono-blog I @hufflepuffwritingstuff2
Pretty pretty please continue "Breakfast in Bed? A request from one writer to another????????? 🥺🥺
(No pressure though if you're not interested -- I'm just super invested in the story and I love the detail)
Breakfast In Bed #6
Thank you so much @jumpywhumpywriter for requesting a next part! :D I'm so happy you liked it this much and hope the final part is to your liking as well!
The original post will hereby officially become Part 7, since the prequel has reached the starting point of this story. I really didn‘t think it‘d grow by this much o.O Guess I should learn to expect works to develop a life of their own by now...
Thank you all for sticking around! Sorry it turned out kinda long, but splitting this into two parts would have felt wrong somehow.
I‘d be delighted to read some gibberish in the comments XD
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 (Orig.)
CW: Let‘s call it consensually relocating the protagonist to a desination of unknown location, yes? Also, tiny hint of spice.
The black SUV rolled up quietly, the mirrored windows giving nothing about the interior away. Sidekick swallowed thickly when a man in a black jacket stepped out of the passenger‘s side. Probably one of his henchmen. He opened the backdoor with a soft click, dim light dousing the expensive looking leather interior in caramel colors.
Sidekick glanced back up at Supervillain, who observed her quietly. He didn‘t nudge her towards the car, nor did he lead the way. He just...waited. She swallowed thickly. This would really be on her and her only, wouldn‘t it? She should know this was a bad idea. Years of academy training screamed at her to get the hell out of there, but she found she didn‘t want to. She wanted to cling to whatever it was that made her feel at ease for the first time in years, whenever Supervillain was with her. Even if he probably was the last person that should evoke this type of feeling withing someone of her profession.
She felt her feet start moving towards the SUV. When she arrived at the door, the man raised his hand, halting her, before he held it out expectantly. „Phone“, he grumbled, voice devoid of any emotion that might help interpret whether it was a polite request or a threat.
Sidekick felt her heart falter for a moment, before she realized trust only got you this far. She reluctantly produced her phone from her suit‘s pocket, handing it over. Much to her surprise, the man simply shoved it into a case thet looked suspiciously like a mobile jamming device, before giving it back to her. She quickly shoved it back into her suit, before Supervillain stepped up next to her.
He looked her up and down, seeming awfully pleased for some reason. „After you, dear“, he murmured, his bright eyes mustering her curiously, as if he was surprised she hadn‘t bolted yet.
Sidekick held his gaze for a moment, before she willed her wobbly legs to get moving and climbed into the car. He was quieter than usual. Whether it was because of their conversation earlier or because of the fact she was basically handing herself over on a silver platter, she didn‘t know. She shook her head, as if that would scatter these morbid thoughts. For someone with her powers, one would think she‘d be less paranoid.
Supervillain got in next to her, the driver taking off without needing to be told to. The engine roared to life, the acceleration pressing them into the softly cushioned seats with gentle force.
Her hands were trembling faintly when she put on the seat belt, eyes nervously glancing out the windshield once she noticed the windows on both sides didn‘t let her look outside either. She was torn between trying to calm herself the hell down and giving in to the growing voice in the back of her head that pointed out how she willingly got into the car with Supervillain and two of his henchmen. Without telling anyone where she was going. With her phone untrackable.
All alone.
„I want to show you something by the way“, Supervillain murmured after a moment, voice barely audible under the humming of the engine, his breath tickling the shell of her ear.
She shivered faintly, before turning towards him. He was holding what seemed to be a glass screen with a thin, barely visible frame. With a tap of his fingers, the surface came to life, glowing softly with what seemed to be an interface and a video playing. She leaned in curiously, drawn in by the odd coloring.
It took her a moment to recognize Hero, strolling through what she realized was downtown. There was a blueish sheen around the edges of his frame, warping, swaying in time with his movements. The surrounding pedestrians too had colorful sheens to them, albeit much weaker and not as vibrantly colored.
Sidekick needed a moment to realize that what she was looking at was most likely the field Supervillain had told her about back when they met up during christmas. „Is...is that how...you see people?“, she asked, blinking up at him in surprise.
Supervillain chuckled faintly. „More or less, yes“, he said. „Modern technology comes allot closer to what I perceive than it did back when Superhero and I were still young“, he explained, his expression giving away a hint of amusement. „Back when you were still giving your teachers in elementary school trouble.“
Sidekick huffed in a mix of fluster and exasperation. „Middle school at max“, she grumbled, but the twinkle in his eyes was hard to resist, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. She glanced back down at the screen. It looked-
“...beautiful“, she whispered.
Supervillain sighed, his eyes resting on her intently enough she could feel it without even having to look.
„Indeed.“
She let out a small yelp when the car swiveled slightly as the driver changed lanes, making her bump into Supervillain. She looked back up and out of the windshield, startled to find they had already left the citiy. They seemed to be on a highway, few cars travelling towards the direction they were headed. Sidekick gulped reflexively, not recognizing the exit they just took.
„...where are we going by the way?“, she asked, noticing her own voice sounding thinner than she‘d have liked. She flinched when Supervillain‘s hand cupped the side of her face, turning it back towards him, away from the road. Her hand reflexively grabbed onto the sleeve of his coat, her eyes wide as they searched his face. It took her mildly panicked brain a moment to register the look on his face as a mix between apologetic and reassuring. His palm was warm against her cheek, the sentiment she was receiving through the contact betraying no ill intent.
„Somewhere I‘d rather not have any uninvited guests barge into“, he said vaguely, his thumb soothing across her cheekbone. His tone didn‘t leave room for objections, even if there was an undertone of apprehension to his words. Like he too was risking something by taking her along. „Eyes on me, short stuff.“
Sidekick let out a small, frustrated sound, but she held his gaze, her heart hammering away to the sound of the turn signal going off again. She clung to his wrist still, as if dreading he‘d pull away his hand and leave her guessing for the rest of the drive.
Supervillain smirked faintly, an air of his usual playfulness returning. „Where did all your usual bravado go, hm? Normally I‘d have gotten a snarky remark or two by now.“
Sidekick scowled at him, finding it in herself to at least try to pretend she wasn‘t second-guessing her decision with every mile the SUV covered. „I‘m not really in a position to be snarky, am I now?“, she muttered.
Supervillain‘s brows furrowed at that, his fingers moving to pinch her cheek. „You‘re not my hostage, Sidekick“, he scolded her, his voice a low rumble. „This isn‘t a kidnapping.“
„Ow, h-hey“, Sidekick protested, but his words reassured her more than she‘d like to admit. Because she felt he meant it. She carefully pried his fingers off her cheek. „I...I know“, she mumbled. She did. Technically. She just wasn‘t used to people...just being honest.
Supervillain let out a low breath, holding out his hand. „Do you want to hold it?“, he suggested.
Sidekick‘s eyes widened ever so slightly, before she looked up at him. His expression really had no business looking this soft right now! „N-no“, she declined hastily. „I...that‘s not healthy. I can‘t just...check for you lying all the time. It‘s not fair. I said I trust you.“
Supervillain raised a brow at that, before he reached for her hand, gently lacing his slender fingers through hers. „You cannot fix a lifetime of being proven wrong by people you ‚trusted‘ over the span of a few encounters“, he said, the faint zaps of electricity nicking at her skin resembling the feeling one got when a limb went numb after the bloodflow had been cut off for too long.
It tickled.
Sidekick glanced down at her hand dwarfed by his, the size difference making it look almost comically small. She felt small, for some reason. Or did she feel their age difference in that moment? She let out a sigh, before she leaned against him a bit more, trying to get comfortable.
Supervillain hummed approvingly, some more electricity crackling between them until small branches of light darted across the fabric of his coat and her suit. It was mesmerizing to watch.
„Sir“, the driver spoke up. „It‘s messing with the board computer“, he pointed out, sounding a bit nervous as he glanced at the heap the two of them formed on the backseat through the rear mirror. Probably wouldn‘t have been the first time Supervillain had grilled a car‘s electronics.
„Is it now?“, Supervillain chuckled. „Alright. I‘ll bridle myself. Eyes back on the road.“
Sidekick buried her face against his shoulder with a small, embarrassed sound, as she felt his men‘s eyes on them. She didn‘t get to be embarrassed much longer though, as the SUV slowed down a few minutes after. The vehicle dipped, the shift of gravity telling Sidekick they were entering an undergroung car park of some kind, the exhaust‘s purring echoing off the walls. Once they‘d stopped moving, the henchmen‘s shoes squeaked on the smooth surface of the garage as they came to open the door for them.
Supervillain squeezed her hand, coaxing her to get out of the car with him. He strode towards a nearby elevator, guards straightening as he passed by.
Sidekick felt their eyes on her, mustering her with a mix of curiosity and wariness. She held onto Supervillain‘s hand a little tighter, sticking close to him as he led her inside the modern looking cabin. There was a swindling number of buttons to press, out of which he picked one labeled ‚PRIVATE‘. Sidekick felt the familiar tingling of moving upwards, watching the display blink away dutifully until they reached their designated floor. To her surprise, the doors gave way to a rather old fashioned hallway. Large and luscious, yes. But not as modern as the elevator would have suggested.
Supervillain‘s thumb brushed across the back of her hand reassuringly, as he gently tugged her along, past another array of guards and around several corners down the hall. Security was tight. Not only in terms of personnel. Sidekick did spot some modern safety measures after all - well hidden and blended almost perfectly with the rustique interior.
„You‘re filthy rich, aren‘t you?“, she blurted, eliciting a hearty laugh from Supervillain.
„What gave me away?“, he chuckled, throwing her a fond look that made her stomach feel weird.
„Well, the agency and the governent aside, only the Morales cartel can get it‘s hand‘s on AI-operated enhanced field supressors“, she tried to distract him from her fluster. „And they only trade with about six or seven families from the city‘s underworld, of which...well, let‘s say, none of them have to hide their balance.“
Supervillain‘s face took on an expression of surprise, quickly replaced by something sly. „My, you have good eyes as always, my dear“, he praised with a toothy grin. „Maybe you did pick the wrong profession after all.“
Sidekick, snorted quietly, but she couldn‘t help but feel a little flattered. When he said it, it was devoid of the contempt and pity she was used to. There was recognizion in his tone and in the feelings she picked up on. As if she was his equal, even if she knew she couldn‘t stand up to him in the slightest, if push came to shove. It didn‘t make sense.
She let him lead her further into the building, wondering if the hallway would ever end. She could only guess how big the estate in it‘s entirety must be, making her wonder just how wealthy Supervillain really was. Who he really was. When he stopped in front of an unassuming door, she looked up at him, tilting her head questioningly.
„You can take a shower in there and slip into something less...“, he paused, eyeing her suit with a smirk, „...intimidating. I‘ll make sure dinner is ready by then, alright dove?“
Sidekick squinted her eyes at him, unable to ignore he meant that sarcastically. She hadn‘t been aiming for intimidatin when picking her suit. She simply wasn‘t one for bright, childish colors. Or even worse, some hellish tint like pink. Black and grey were colorful enough. „I‘ll show you intimidating“, she huffed, trying to mask her reluctance to parting with him.
The room he‘d led her to was spacious, not luxurious but accommodating, with an own bathroom. She curiously roamed the perimeter for a moment, before the icky feeling of having been stuck in her suit all day grew impossible to ignore for even a second longer. The shower was heavenly, loosening up her tigh muscles and giving her the much needed peace and quiet to think everything over for a moment.
She felt bad for just disappearing without a word. Superhero would be worried sick. She did feel bad about that part. A little bit at least. The agency would give her hell too. But she couldn‘t care less about them fretting the loss of one of their precious little poster children.
On the other hand, she felt strangely giddy. Excited even. Maybe that was just the adrenaline speaking. It‘s not every day a villain of this caliber invited you into his lair. If this was his lair, that was. Maybe it was just one of his many hideouts. Though she couldn‘t quite bring herself to believe he‘d have more than one that was this fancy.
She couldn‘t help but wonder why Supervillain allowed her in here. Why he allowed her to verify everything he said and did. It was as reassuring as it was unsettling. Normally, people avoided her touch like the plague. One would think, someone with as many secrets as Supervillain would too. But no. He was holding her hand like he was breathing air and it was both flattering and frightening. It was frightening her to realize she was feeling giddy because he didn‘t seem to mind having her around. Having her close.
They might need to talk about this. No, they had to talk about shis. By now they needed to.
When she stepped out of the shower, shriveled like an overstocked potato, she found a pile of fresh clothes back in the main room. The size was on point. Surprisingly enough, it didn‘t shock her as much as it probably should. Just like she‘d grown used to Supervillain popping up out of nowhere all the time. Once she was representable again, she checked whether the door was locked or not.
It was open.
She stepped out into the hallway, the guards still patrolling dutifully, but not paying her much mind. When she asked one of them for Supervillain‘s whereabouts, she received directions that led her to what appeared to be a salon with it‘s own little kitchen. The delicious smell wafting out into the hallway made her stomach growl viciously.
Supervillain glanced up from the counter, putting aside a measuring cup with some stock in it. „Ah, there you are“, he chimed. „I hope you like risotto.“
Sidekick eyed him with mild surprise. She would have thought Supervillain had staff to take care of the cooking. „Only if there‘s parmesan involved“, she hummed, sniffing curiously. It smelled delicious.
Supervillain raised both brows at that, before reaching into a cabinet above his head. „Would some Parmesan Trentingrana do for you, Miss?“, he asked with a fake italian accent, wiggling the chunk mockingly.
Sidekick couldn‘t help the small smile that spread on her face at the sight of his antics. „I have no idea what that is, but it sounds expensive“, she snickered, inching closer and sliding into one of the stools at the counter.
„Trentingrana it is then“, Supervillain nodded, preparing two plates and grating generous ammounts of cheese onto them. He handed her a plate and a fork, before sitting down opposite from her. „Bon appetit.“
Sidekick was starving. It took all her willpower to not literally inhale the food. Especially since it was easily the best risotto of her life so far.
„At least someone appreciates my cooking“, Supervillain remarked with an amused twitch of his lips.
„Don‘t sound so smug about it“, Sidekick quipped, but there was no bite to it. If anything, she was a bit embarrassed for digging in like a woman starved.
„Just appreciating a good appetite, is all“, he snickered.
They ate in comfortable silence for a while, the atmosphere oddly homey as the clinking of cutlery filled the room. It didn‘t feel like she was sitting across from one of their city‘s most dangerous criminals.
„Thank you“, she spoke up after a while. „For letting me come over.“ She still didn‘t fully understand what this was. Between them. Part of her was afraid she was reading something into it. The other part, the more rational one, told her she better was getting something wrong because if not, this wasn‘t going to end well. For either of them. She didn‘t want to be rational right now though.
Supervillain regarded her with a long, thoughtful look. He looked as if he was mulling his words over, deciding on something else than what originally came to his mind. „Of course, sweetheart“, he said, cleaning the last crumbs off his plate before getting up and depositing it in the dishwasher.
Sidekick let out a breath she didn‘t know she‘s been holding, before she hurriedly finished as well, handing him her plate. She got up from her stool, gingerly nestling with the sleeves of the shirt that wasn‘t hers.
Once Supervillain was done clearing the counter, he returned his attention to her, coming over until he stood directly in front of her. „How about we both get some rest and...tomorrow we‘ll think about how to deal with our conjoined investigation concerning Hero, yes?“, he suggested, nudging her chin up with his knuckles.
His expression was as serious as it was gentle, the combination of guilt and affection that rolled of his skin and into her system made Sidekick‘s heart melt.
„We‘ll figure something out with Superhero too, I‘m sure. Can‘t have your mentor be mad at you because of me.“
Sidekick was about to nod, when she realized - it wasn‘t fair. None of this was. Supervillain being wrongly accused, not being believed by his friend...Yes. She could have Superhero be mad at her and she would. If it was for justice‘s sake. Her mentor had no right to think this badly of him. Not when he was treating her with this much-
„I‘m more concerned about what you think to be honest...“ Sidekick felt her stomach drop at the realization she just said that out loud, her body going rigid as she braced herself for his reaction. What the hell was it about him that made her spurt all sorts of nonsense?!
Normally, she‘d think twice or even thrice before saying something. But it seemed that with him, she couldn‘t help herself but to blurt everything and anything that came to her mind. She suddenly felt so utterly stupid! Like a school girl crushing on her older brother‘s best friend. „I...I-I mean...it‘s none of Superhero‘s business who I team up with to stop Hero. And I know you‘re not...what they all make you out to be. You‘re...To me you are-“
She interrupted herself, biting her lip as her face started burning up so she could not make it even worse. But apparently, it already was.
Supervillain‘s eyes widened, his grip on her chin tightening a notch. His eyes darted across her face, tracing the outline of her frame.
Sidekick wondered whether the mix of anticipation and panic made her electro-magnetic field run haywire or not. Could he see it? How he made her feel?
Then, his expression darkened, taking on something that bordered between chiding and predatory. The feeling he was giving off where their skin touched morphed from something soft to something more intense. Something hot and heady. It made Sidekick‘s face flush and her head spin. „I‘ve been trying very hard to be a gentleman, dove“, he rumbled lowly, cradling her face with both hands and taking another step closer to her. „But if you keep being this sweet, I‘m afraid I won‘t be responsible for anything anymore.“
Sidekick‘s lips parted to say something, but she couldn‘t think of anything that would even remotely convey what was going on inside her head right now. Her ears were burning and her eyes couldn‘t withstand his stare anymore.
„Ah, ah“, Supervillain chided softly, tilting her face back up.
Sidekick could have sworn she saw electricity crackle along the ridges of his iris. The sight made her knees feel wobbly and her chest feel tight.
The moment his lips pressed against hers, Sidekick wasn‘t sure whether his powers had gone haywire and fried her brain, or if it the feeling itself was electrifying enough to make her lose any feeling of time and their surroundings.
They parted briefly, Sidekick panting softly, as he whispered against her trembling lips.
„Eyes on me.“
Next
@dracobellatorregina I @talesofurbania1 I @surplus-of-sarcasm I @kurai-hono-blog I @hufflepuffwritingstuff2 I @arealphrooblem I @neon-kazoo I hopefullywritingahit I @indarius I @jumpywhumpywriter I
Hey my sweets! I'm sorry it took so long again. I hope you're still up for it. Let me know what you think or ask away - I frequently draw inspiration and ideas from it after all >:D Enjoy!
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 (Orig.)
CW: none, for once xD
As much as it pained Sidekick and her mentor, investigations didn't progress as smoothly as they had hoped. Weeks had passed, and they still didn't get their hands on proof solid enough to present to the heroes' association. Not that Supervillain wasn't cooperating or anything. He'd proved more than helpful, even if the intel he gathered made shivers run down Sidekick's spine more often than not. She didn't really want to know how he acquired it. They needed evidence, watertight and puncture-proof, if they wanted any chance at making it through a tribunal with likely bribed judges. Quick at that.
Supervillain had hinted at having an idea how to get to Hero. Something more substantial. Crucial to their success. Sidekick was itching for the new intel this time.
The ever-present threat of Hero was souring her every waking minute these days. It seemed as if Supervillain, who seemed unsettlingly aware of her current inner chagrin, had made it his personal mission to get her mind off things, even when they were exchanging information about said menace of her colleague.
For instance, today's meeting spot was located in the middle of the Christmas market. Much to her dismay, she couldn't say she minded. And if she could be honest with herself, she'd even admit that she appreciated the effort. Even though Sidekick still couldn't help the occasional feeling of impending doom each time she saw that certain glint in his eyes, but other than that, Supervillain had proved to be…quite decent company. At least allot more decent than the press or the agency gave him credit for.
As usual, Supervillain proved to be a few minutes late. Not, that Sidekick cared…Okay, maybe his lack in trust in her did irk her a tiny bit. She wondered if that was the reason he avoided touching her when chatting about things other than work.
She sighed, spinning in a slow circle and taking in the busy rushing about of the civilians. The food stands smelled delicious, the music jingled in the background and before she knew it, she strolled towards a small shack. They sold about everything made from wool of any kind. She gently ran her fingers across the scarfs and bonnets, barely resisting the urge to squeal from how soft they were. There were sheep coats too, just asking to be pet.
"You like fluffy things, don't you?", Supervillain hummed right next to her ear, as always appearing seemingly out of nowhere.
Much to Sidekick's gratification, she had grown used to it just enough not to be startled by it anymore. She turned around to face him, a snarky remark already on her tongue, when his expression threw her off. The look on his face was softer than usual. Almost…fond? She quickly shook her head, but her response turned out a little less sharp anyway. "Correction – I love them. Something wrong with that?"
Supervillain's lips hesitantly twitched into a small, genuine looking smile, as if he hadn't agreed to his face taking on such an expression. "Not in the slightest, my dear", he assured, taking one of her hands. But before he could resume with his greeting, he frowned, glancing down at her small fingers clasped in his large ones. "My, your hands are icy!"
Sidekick followed his gaze. She'd always struggled with cold hands and feet in winter. But for some reason, she liked how his hand felt warm on- No! What the hell was she even thinking?! She gingerly retracted her hand from his. "Bad circulation", she muttered, glad the dust of red on her face had already been there from the cold. She resumed petting the soft goods, trying not to look at him. She felt his eyes on her nonetheless, before he grabbed something from the displays.
"Don't just look at them, try putting them on", Supervillain laughed, holding out a pair of gloves. They were made of chocolate brown suede leather and lined with wool.
Sidekick raised a brow at him, but took them anyway. "Well, at least you've got good taste, Sir", she said, inching her digits into the glove. "It's alpaca", she grinned, wiggling her fingers in front of his face.
Supervillain chuckled, a low sound that vibrated in the cold winter air. "You sure know your wool, hmm? They suit you though", he teased, his bright eyes twinkling in the light of the shack. He glanced over to the sales-woman, handing her a small card. The woman looked at it in confusion, before her eyes lit up and she beamed at the villain with a nod.
Sidekick watched on in surprise, before she realized what happened. "O-oh, no, you don't have to…you can't just – they're expensive!", she stammered, a bit embarrassed he wanted to buy them for her. Her face fell for a second. Or did he not want her to accidentally touch him this time? Was there something he didn't want her to verify today?
Supervillain huffed at her protest. "I'd rather not have my intermediary freeze to death during our meeting", he said. He seemed to notice her change in demeanor, once again being almost frighteningly attentive. A sly smirk made the corners of his eyes crinkle. "Or would you rather have me hold your hands to warm them up?", he asked, holding out a hand as if he expected her to take it.
Sidekick's jaw almost dropped. He was incorrigible sometimes! Even if she was glad his offer dispersed her doubts. "Wha-…n-no. No, I'll take them. Thank you", she quickly deflected the offer, tucking her hands under her arms, lest he tried to grab one of them. They were lovely though, she had to admit as much. "They're…plenty warm already."
Supervillain hummed, visibly pleased, before cocking his head towards the center of the market. "Come on then. We have lots to discuss."
Sidekick trotted after him as he weaved through the crowd, secretly checking if any of the surrounding civilians recognized him. No-one seemed to notice though. That there was one of the city's most wanted criminals right in their midst. Maybe he didn't look it to anyone who didn't know, didn't memorize his features from the blurry recordings available to the broad masses.
He did turn some heads though, but for different reasons, as Sidekick noticed begrudgingly. True, the long winter coat complimented his build well enough. She'd already noticed his fashion sense wasn't limited to his alter ego.
"You're drawing quite some attention", she noted. "Isn't that rather unfavorable for someone of your profession?"
Supervillain looked down at her, blinking in what resembled surprise, before his expression turned smug. "The best disguise, is no disguise, dove", he contradicted. "There is no better place to hide, than in plain sight."
Sidekick grumbled something incoherently, before her thoughts inadvertently returned to the actual reason for their meeting today. "The same way Hero does?"
Supervillain's features evened out into something serious again. "Close enough", he shrugged. "As opposed to your colleague though, I have no need for a mask. Neither figuratively, nor literally."
Sidekick glanced up at him, his words reminding her of the first time they'd met up in private. He seemed determined to stay true to himself, even if that would get him on people's bad side. She could respect that. The topic seemed to have upset him a bit though. "Would it be such a pity to hide that handsome face of yours?", she teased, proud she managed to say that in a mocking tone that didn't betray she actually did think he was good looking.
Supervillain grinned toothily at that. "Exactly", he chuckled, throwing her a glance. „Although it has more to do with me having to properly see, to do a good job.“
Sidekick‘s eyes widened slightly. „What‘s that supposed to mean?“ As far as she knew, his power was based on electricity. She didn‘t quite get how he‘d need visual prowess for that.
Supervillain gave her a lenient, if not thoughtful smile. „How about we make a deal, sweetheart?“, he suggested, placing a hand on her upper back to steer her towards the outskirts of the market. „I let you in on a little secret and in exchange, you do a little something for me?“
Sidekick, glowered at him, the skepticism probably written all over her face. „Something not quite legal, I assume?“
He chuckled lowly. „Glad you‘re so quick on the uptake. But yes. I assure you though, it will benefit the case of Hero“, he said, his hand giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze. „I‘m putting myself at risk by telling you as well, if that helps ease your conscience.“
Sidekick sighed heavily. They needed to put a stop to his game, before more people got hurt. Her mentor would give her a run for her money if he ever found out about this. But Supervillain was their best bet so far and she was willing to take the risk. For now. Whether it was because the rational part of her had come to this by logically weighing the cons and pros or whether her gut feeling was telling her to trust him - she didn‘t want to investigate on. „Sure, why not?“, she agreed, her voice a quiet grumble.
Supervillain shot her a surprised glance, as if he didn‘t suspect her to agree. His eyes studied her expression for a while longer, before he nodded. „Do you know scientists assume migratory birds can actually see the earth‘s magnetic field?“
Sidekick frowned in confusion. „...what?“ That seemed oddly off topic.
Supervillain‘s face split in a grin that was just the tiniest bit unsettling. „Just expanding a little“, he hummed. „You know how living cells communicate via electric currents and fields, right?“
Sidekick nodded slowly. „I am aware yes.“
„Several years ago, scientists were able to show that migratory birds use the same brain regions that are activated for vision to orient themselves to the earth's magnetic field“, Supervillain resumed, sounding like some sort of enthusiastic ornithologist. „The information from the earth's magnetic field travels via the thalamus to the frontal brain area, corresponding to visual impressions. Therefore, they actually see where they‘re travelling.“
Sidekick blinked up at him in mild confusion. „I get as much, but...what does that have to do with our case?“
Supervillain came to a stop next to the fountain in the southern corner of the market, the sprinkling of the water almost drowning out his words. „Your agency assumes I‘m able of electric manipulation. While that isn‘t entirely false, it would be more accurate to call it ‚charged particles manipulation‘“, he said, playing with a strand of her hair yet again. „That includes being able to see electric currents as well“, he said, leaning in so his breath fogged against the shell of her ear. „Yours is exceptionally fascinating, by the way.“
Sidekick shuddered when his words tickled her ear, a faint blush creeping up on her cheek, before realization hit her. „Wait, that‘s how you‘re able to find me all the time?!“
Supervillain pulled back again, this time with a more genuine hint of amusement brightening his features. „It‘s how we‘ll convict Hero too“, he dodged smoothly. „I‘ll need you to procure the recordings of the agency‘s high-end surveillance cameras around the city though.“
Sidekick gawked at him as if he‘d just asked for her to hand over a limb. „What? Why?“, she blurted, before her buzzing thoughts came to an abrupt halt. „...it shows on screen, doesn‘t it?“, she whispered. Probably not every screen, but the agency should be equipped for investigations of this level. A society satiated with superpowered individuals made such measures necessary a long time ago.
Supervillain tilted his head at her, the resemblance with a curious dog strikingly uncanny, as he smirked. „I know Hero‘s field signature. As well as that of most of the villains around town. But without the technology to measure electric currents, camera recordings are just funny videos.“
Sidekick‘s face returned to normal, taking on a more thoughtful expression as she processed that information. „We can see if they‘ve met up somewhere“, she put one and one together. „We can narrow it down even more if I give you his deployment plans or the read out from his tracking bracer. And if any meeting, even if it seems accidental, matches up with the casualties among the heroes-“, she muttered under her breath. When she looked up again, Supervillain‘s expression had morphed into something almost bordering delighted.
„Clever girl“, he purred, his hand coming up to cup her jaw. „I can see why he picked you for his apprentice.“
Sidekick huffed at that, but her attempt to fend off his praise got stuck in her throat at the feeling of genuine fascination that seeped off his fingertips. She wasn‘t used to such sentiments being directed at her. To most in the agency, she was more or less useless in the field and many deemed her out of place in this line of work. They say she‘d be better off in a firm of private investigators or something of the sorts. It‘s not like she didn‘t know. That she was almost ridiculously out of her own league at the agency. But she wanted to save people. To be at the frontlines. Even if people didn‘t think she belonged. „Don‘t look at me like that“, she choked, trying to lean back and squirm out of his hand.
But Supervillain was quicker, his hand darting out to hold her by the nape of her neck instead. „Like what, dove?“ He looked as if he was daring her to disagree. In fact, she could feel it prickling across her skin - infatuation. On his part. And he didn‘t even try to hide it.
Sidekick wasn‘t quite sure if she found that concerning or if she‘d needed that for a long, long time.
Next
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