hello! i love ur writing so so so much! i was wondering if i could request a snippet where the villain discovers the hero's self harm scars? if not, that's ok toođĽ°â¤ď¸ have a lovely day :))
âOh, darling.â The villainâs voice was much too soft.
The hero felt a sharp flicker of panic - they could have dealt with the villain mocking them - but they werenât entirely sure they could stomach that tone. Not when they were so bare, so vulnerable, so utterly exposed.Â
The hero couldnât even protest nor offer up any excuse or convincing lie; not with the gag in their mouth. This wasnât supposed to go like this after all. Â
It started when the villain had spied the marks on the heroâs arms - tearing the sleeve of their suit so that they could inject some nefarious substance or other. The bit had been so the hero didnât, apparently, bite through their own tongue.Â
The syringe had however been abandoned on the side the second the villain saw the heroâs skin. Despite the heroâs muffled protest, the villain had promptly cut open the other sleeve and, then, made short work of everything else.
The villainâs gaze roamed over them, taking it all in and the hero wanted to scream. The thought of anyone finding out had always been bad enough...but to have the villain of all people...and like this...
They jerked uselessly against the restraints, the flicker beginning to swell into full blown panic.Â
The villain ghosted their fingers across the marks, with that same terrible gentleness. The hero flinched, even if it didnât hurt - maybe because it didnât. They didnât know. The heroâs muscles tightened taut with stress, with the urge to bolt and the complete inability to.
If they could run the villain would never even have seen this far.Â
The villainâs gaze moved up, catching the heroâs wide-eyed stare.Â
âI know what scars Iâve left on you, hero.â The word, âheroâ, didnât carry the mockery it normally did. âI know what kind of scars people get doing what we do. This...â their grip tightened, and their nails dug in. âThis is not that.â
The heroâs fingers curled into fists, breath hitching. They did their utmost to keep their expression composed. Their mind raced; trying to figure out what the villain would do. Well, what could they do? They didnât know what the villain even intended with this, now. What would they possibly care what the hero did in their free time? Yet, clearly, they cared. Otherwise they wouldnât have set the syringe down they would have continued business as normal.Â
The villain reached up after a moment, taking the bit out and setting that aside too.Â
The hero wrenched their gaze away, working out their jaw. They could have spoken now but they said nothing. Anger churned with the panic. The villain had no right to expect an explanation from them, if that was what they were waiting for?Â
âControl, punishment or something else?â
The even question snapped the heroâs stare back, in surprise. The villainâs voice had gone even again, instead of that horrible âhandle with careâ softness.Â
âWhat?â it came out raspy.Â
The villain tapped one of the scars. âDo you do it to feel in control of something, to punish yourself, or something else?âÂ
âWhatâs it to you? Youâve literally got me tied to a chair.â
âYour enemies hurting you is very different to doing it to yourself. You cannot control your enemies, but nor would you expect them to be kind.â
âI swear if you of all people are going to start a lecture about being kind to myself.â The heroâs eyes burned, hot and embarrassed. They really hoped they didnât start crying.Â
âIf you answer my question Iâll stop pestering you about it.â
The hero looked down, considering their options, really not wanting to talk about it with them. Still. âIt makes my head shut up. Happy?â
âHappy is an interesting word choice given the topic of conversation, but I accept your answer, yes.â
âSo youâre going back to whatever is in your nightmare syringe?â
âItâs a serum to limit your powers.â
âYour monologues are very wordy and scientific. I get bored.â
The villain snorted. Still, they stayed crouching in front of the hero, studying them quietly.Â
â...youâre not going back to stabbing me with the nightmare syringe?â
âDo you want me to stab you with the nightmare syringe?â
The villain did not look entirely convinced.Â
The hero gritted their teeth. âThis is bothering you,â they said. âKnowing this about me. Iâm not - Iâm not suicidal, or anything. You can still get around to killing me yourself or - or whatever.â They faltered as the villain continued to stare at them. âWhat?â
âYou make it a little too easy to forget youâre human, sometimes, hero.â The villain rose up to their feet. âStay put.â
âStay - you have me tied to a chair. Where are you going?!â
"I need to think,â the villain said. âAnd possibly punch something. And then, if youâre willing, I have some ideas on what might help.â
The hero sat there, bewildered, at the sound of the next room being thoroughly destroyed.Â
Nothing was quite the same after that.