@creweemmaeec11 's prompt fill
âCome on, now, Hero. Even the devil knows how to have fun.â
Or at least that was what Hero thought Villain had said, half hearing their words, half reading their glitter covered lips, the deafening bass making it hard to hear their own thoughts.
The club was⌠otherworldly. From where they stood at the entrance they could only see a sea of heads packed together in front of them; until they raised their eyes. Twelve slender spires, twisting around themselves, glistening like freshly cut crystals and glowing a bright, intense cyan, massive, at least twenty meters tall, shot skyward from what Hero assumed to be the perimeter of the walls. Their eyes followed the curves and spirals up to the ceiling â no, no ceiling; instead an unnaturally shallow night sky, stars big and glittering, clouds of blue and purple smoke soaring from the crowd and hiding the faint outlines of the stone ribs of the cross vault theyâd seen from the outside. It knocked the breath out of their lungs. Like a punch in the gut. Hard.
They looked back down at the villain, and found no one where theyâd been standing. They tried to feel upset; tried to think about their mission, about the instructions. Find Villain, keep them busy until tomorrow, donât get killed, donât let them out of your sight.
Theyâd succeeded at one and failed another. They didnât have high hopes for the other two, right now.
Maybe they should just give up on this. Get out before they get hurt. They turned towards the door. But the colourful lightsâŚ
Then another song began pounding, louder, and thatâs where their thinking stopped.
They made their way through the crowd, feeling the narrow spaces between the people with their own body, since sight was worth nothing in the complete darkness.
They pushed and muttered useless apologies, the smell of sweat and skin filling their nose.
And then they came to the front of the crowd, and found themselves pushed against a railing. They were standing on a massive balcony, overlooking an even bigger dance floor.
They looked down; they laughed at their own thought, that maybe theyâd see the villain from up there.
No, oh no â they chuckled, they never could have.
The lower floor was packed with people, so many that they told themselves, if they jumped from the balcony they wouldnât touch the floor. Women and men and people and creatures beyond their comprehension, all in blindingly shiny clothing and makeup, glitter covered skin, lit up only by deep violet lights coming from God knows where, caressing their bodies as music and singing and laughter filled the heavy, sticky air.
On both sides of the balcony, two big staircases led downstairs. Hero made their way to the least crowded one. They descended every step, dragging a finger along the glass-like handrail, mesmerised at how their touch left a bright, glowing trail behind.
From down there they could finally see what the balcony stood upon, a long bar buzzing with people passing around tall glasses filled with liquids of colours theyâd never imagined.
Villain. There. Maybe â they forced themselves to think, on repeat, as they managed to get their body to the counter.
A woman on the other side smiled at them. Black hair with â what was that? Tinsel? â and the darkest lipstick theyâd ever seen, framing her shiny teeth.
âWhat can I get you?â She shouted as close to their ear as she could get.
âSomething sweet!â They yelled back.
âI love it when I get to choose!â She responded, voice getting raspy, as she began gathering bottles they couldnât even recognise.
They passed the girl some money, and she pushed the glass in their hands.
âIâm looking for someone!â They screamed.
âWell,â she laughed loudly, âgood luck with that!â
Hero tried to call back for her, but all it took her was moving a couple steps away to serve another client to be completely unable to hear them over the music.
They were going to spend the rest of the night looking for villain, they thought, taking a sip of their drink, it would take so long in thisâ oh. Oh.
The liquid in their mouth was sweeter than anything they'd ever tasted, sweeter than sugar, and cherry, and honey, andâ oh. If there was alcohol in this, they sure couldn't feel it. No burning in their throat and bitter, dry aftertaste. No, instead it flowed down like milk and honey, all fruity and delicate and head-spinningly smooth.
They wandered around in the crowd for hours. Or ten minutes? They could not tell. All they knew was their glass was shamefully empty, and their feet hurt, and the room gently swayed as if they were on a boat.
They finally stumbled to a wall, and found they'd been wrong once again. No bricks or concrete, rather a long glass wall, and a glass door that led outside.
Suddenly they were hit by the need for air, for space, and they dragged themselves out.
The humid warmth of the night felt so good on their sweaty skin.
They took their shoes off and tossed them aside.
Outside looked just as heavenly as inside. An endless grass covered garden, rough stone paths and patios, iron chairs and tables, overhead an intricate tangle of wooden posts, long vines and golden fairy lights, and above only night sky.
And leaning against a table, on a empty wooden deck, Villain.
Hero blinked, then blinked again.
They weren't even expecting to actually succeed.
They walked over, feet on the damp grass and then on the wood planks.
"Getting some fresh air?" They grinned as Hero approached.
Hero probably should've said something. In another moment, maybe they would've shouted. Or tackled them to the ground. Or even just grabbed them and dragged them outside. Fought them. Who know.
But Villain's sleeves were rolled up to make up for the heat, and they were lacy and black and see-through, and their silver earrings dangled hypnotically, and their shiny lip gloss had long been wiped away, leaving only soft red lips behind, and their eyeliner was smudged and their glittery eyeshadow was all over their cheeks, and their hair was messily half gathered and sticking to their forehead, and the curve of their smile was infuriating, and they looked so maddeningly perfect in the glistening starlight, and they hated them so much that they grabbed onto their top and kissed them, and the villain tensed for a second, eyes widening in surprise before melting into it, and Hero felt the the sweet, fruity taste of Villain's lips on their tongue.
Behind Villain, Hero caught a glimpse of the pink, nearing sunrise.
