hobby writeress

Sidekick had been loyal at Heros side for years. Sometimes it felt like forever. But it didn’t matter, because they were fighting the good fight and could always count on each other.

At least until Villain came along, charming their way into the teams life, trying to lecture them on what good and evil really meant.

Fury was written all over Heros face, yet Villain just gave them an amused look. Their hands were still around their opponents waist from the dance they just shared.

“I know”, Villain replied then. “Makes our whole dynamic a lot more interesting, don’t you think?”

“You can’t be serious!” Hero tried to keep their voice steady, but one of Villains hands had now met the bare skin on their back. Their breath hitched. “Why do you keep doing this? The touching? The flirting?”, Hero continued, trying to put as much disgust in their voice as possible.

Villain chuckled, finally leaning back against the railing of the balcony they were standing on. Hero felt their shoulders relax.

“Please, don’t tell me you don’t enjoy this. You’ve never told me to stop. Or to go away.” They stepped closer again. “Not once.”

“If you actually believe that, you really are deranged. What on earth could make me want you-“

Villain laughed again, this time almost darkly. “You’re doing it again”, they said quietly, still standing so close that Hero could feel their breath. “Come on, tell me to go. I’ll leave.”

Hero stared at them, the darkness of the night making it hard to make out their nemesis’ features. A cold wind blew around them.

“Why would you want to stay?”, they asked and immediately recognized the satisfied look in the other ones eyes. They still hadn’t said no to anything.

“I just think we could have some fun, if you stopped nagging me about giving up on my plans for once.” Villain had said it lightly enough, but Hero heard the open proposition. And god, a part of them wanted to say yes.

Suddenly they noticed Villain getting closer. Involuntarily Heros gaze dropped to their lips, they closed their eyes and- “Stop.”

It was true, Hero now realized. They had never asked Villain to stop before. Why would they? It had never gotten serious enough to get anyone in danger, and no matter how much tension there was, there were certain lines that had always seemed uncrossable. Also, Hero had enjoyed the attention and the banter they shared, although they would’ve never told their friends.

Villain had stopped immediately, and Hero could feel them hovering a few inches away from their face. Their eyes were still closed, their whole body feeling electrified.

“I don’t think we should…”, Hero started softly, not knowing what to say, or how to explain themselves.

Villain grunted. “I won’t make this decision for you. But I’ve already made my move, so if you say no, believe that I will walk and not embarrass myself any further.”

Hero took a step back and opened their eyes. “This is… wrong. We shouldn’t.”

They felt good in their decision. It was the right one. It was what any good hero would so. They watched Villain turn around on the spot, knowing they could use this in the future.

So why did their hand suddenly slip back into Villains? How did asking them to stop going in the other direction felt so much better? And why did their hands make them feel so heavenly, caressing their body?

„Dance with me.“

Hero froze. It didn’t sound like a plea, much less a question. Just a simple statement, as if the option to say no was nonexistent.

It kind of was. And not because there was some Supervillain watching them, or some facade to uphold, or something to prove.

„God, you really are the most annoying person on earth.“

„I sure am, babe”, B said as they winked. “But I’m also great at what I do. The best in my field, some may say.” A rolled their eyes at that.

B continued: “Maybe if you studied harder, you could do it too.”

“Oh please, explain it to me once and I would be better than you.”

B laughed and put their arm around A, who pushed them off, seemingly annoyed. “But what would you need me for, then?”

“I don’t want you around. It would be a pleasure.” Despite their harsh words A smiled.

C groaned. “Shut up with all the flirting already!”

Hero finally caves into their friend's annoying suggestion and downloads a dating app (since they really don't have time to date in their field). They mostly just text for a bit and find it funny, but no person actually sparks their interest - they don't really believe in this sort of stuff anyways.

“Look”, he said, grinning lazily. “I already promised not to intimidate or hurt anyone. If that includes Hero, fine.”

“As if you could intimidate me”, Hero scoffed. Villain raised his eyebrow and turned his attention to Hero, seizing her with his eyes. He did not straighten up though.

“If you are not intimidated by me, why does it bother you that I’m here?”

“Are you even listening to yourself?” Hero looked accusingly at Sarah. “Why are you friends with that?”

Although this was supposed to be an incredibly happy day for Sarah, she seemed rather exhausted by the conversation. “This is my birthday dinner and it is really important to me. What has happened between you two that makes you want to get at each other’s throat every two seconds?”

Villain stood up, deflecting the question. “Since I know how to behave myself, I am going to leave now. Have fun figuring this out!“ And just like that, he was gone.

Sarah and Hero continued their staring contest. Hero was silently contemplating what to tell Sarah. For an outsider, hers and Villains fight must have seemed rather ridiculous and out of the blue. However, if they were really such close friends, telling Sarah that Villain was a gang member might not be the best way not to let this dinner escalate. It was the first time Sarahs parents met her girlfriend.

Sarah sighed. „Is this about the… you know… gang thing?“, she asked quietly. If Hero hadn’t already known she would not have understood the words.

„YOU KNOW?“

„Well“, Sarah said sheepishly. „It’s how we met. You remember the voluntary social work I did about 7 years ago with children in need.“

Hero did indeed remember. She said nothing.

Her silence seemed to make Sarah nervous. „I worked a case with one kid that he took special interest in.“

„Probably to groom it for his gang“, Hero grumbled. She couldn’t believe this. Villain and Sarah sounded so close!

Sarah gave her a look. „It was his little cousin. He was seventeen at the time as well, so he couldn’t take care of him legally and-“

Hero groaned and covered her ears. „I do not want to hear his sad backstory. He’s in a gang.“

„It’s not illegal to be in a gang! You’re a detective. You should know that“, Sarah protested.

„It’s illegal to kill people!“

„He doesn’t do that… much… I think… Do you know?“

„Well, I haven’t been able to catch him.“

„So you don’t know.“

„Oh I know.“

„You have killed people.“

„Which is something entirely different! He has… tattoos!“

„I have a tattoo!“

„Which is something I judge you for as well. It’s ugly.“

Sarah seemed to have grown tired of their debate and said softly: „Look, I can imagine the differences your jobs“ - Hero scoffed at that - ”bring with them. But you’re my family and he is one of my closest friends. We don’t hang out all the time, but he has always been there for me. So please, just today, can you make an effort for me?“

Hero was convinced that Villain must have brainwashed her. That was insane. But for her sister she would put on a friendly facade, so she smiled and nodded.

Sarah seemed glad, as she hugged her deeply. When she pulled away her eyes were gleaming excitedly again and she said: „I can’t believe I have a girlfriend and I am letting her meet our parents. And by that I mean, I can’t believe I am in a stable relationship before you. Overachiever.“

Hero showed her the tongue as they left the room, but she was already searching for Villain as Sarah went towards the main table.

„Your sister certainly likes a show.“

Hero turned around swiftly. Apparently Villain had been eager as well to talk to her. „What do you want?“

„The only reason Sarah would let you out of that room is if you lied and said you would leave me in peace for the night, or am I wrong?“ Hero squinted. Of course he was right, but that was the last thing she wanted to admit, so she just said: „Whatever. I’m not doing it anyway. I don’t trust you.“

He didn’t look bothered at all, instead he had the audacity to laugh. Hero noticed Sarah giving them a worried look from across the room.

„What’s so funny?“

„Nothing, it’s just…“ He looked around at the various people close to Sarah spread across the room talking and drinking. It seemed like a truly sophisticated place, everyone sipping out of identical champagne glasses. Then again, Sarah loved glamorous settings, which made her friendship to a criminal even more unbelievable to Hero. „I can’t believe I didn’t make the connection sooner.“

Hero cocked her eyebrows.

„Sarah’s always talking about you. Her good little sister, always trying to solve every mystery, ever so determined…“ Hero didn’t know where he was going with that, so she just took a champagne herself, trying to keep herself occupied and seem relaxed at the same time. „She truly loves you. Would have been a shame if my bullets had actually hit you.“

Hero tried not to freeze and keep her movements smooth at the confession. „Shame that mine didn’t hit you“, she replied. „Sarah would be better off without you. She deserves a lot better than you for a friend.“ Or me for family, she thought, comparing the two of them and not being able to give herself enough high marks.

They both watched Sarah give her girlfriend a kiss on the cheek.

He laughed again, this time quieter and almost friendly. „You really should be careful. And maybe a little more watchful.“

„Excuse me?“, Hero felt that anger rise inside her throat again. „Are you threatening me?“

Villains eyes flickered across the room, as if to see if they were really alone, before he said: „Your sister is a dear friend of mine and she truly loves you. But you ought to think how she managed to go from a social worker to being surrounded by all these exceptional people and this much money. The road to success often is a hard one.“

Hero watched the tattoos on his neck move as he spoke, the words ringing in her ear.

„What are you saying?“

He sighed in a condescending way, as if Hero was an over curious child he had to explain the same thing over and over again. „You should stop investigating my case. I stand by everything I’ve ever done. Not sure your sister is able to say the same.“

They stared at each other for a few seconds.

Hero broke the eye contact first to look over the crowd, just as he had done before. „For all the time we spent chasing each other, you really don’t know me very well. I would protect my sister with all I have got. But I will make sure you go down.“

When she looked back at him, Villain smiled at her with a wistful look. „Oh, I expected as much. But what will you say when you realize that maybe, just maybe, I am not the Villain of this story?“

The antagonist watched their sisters blood drip all over the carpet. They stared at her lifeless face, trying to recall her in a better state. Running through flower fields. Hitting them after making a bad joke.

Villains laugh made them snap out of it. “You really should have stayed out of the big leagues. Some people just aren’t made for greatness.”

Antagonist thought back to the protagonist giving them a similar speech, though in a much softer tone of voice. Kinder. They felt the magic around them slowly awaken.

A malicious smile crossed their face, cold and detached, as if the death of their sister had not fazed them at all. But it had, oh how it had ripped them apart in a single moment. 

“I have nothing holding me back anymore”, the antagonist said softly, as they released the built-up magic around them, watching it devour Villain without blinking, only thinking about what the protagonist would say to this drastic development. 

The two of them were watching Hero play with the children of the house.

„As we‘ve told you before, we are anything but a couple.“ The woman, also the owner of the small mountainside hotel they were staying in, didn‘t look like she was believing them at all, so Villain tried to change the subject: „Thank you again for your hospitality! It truly is a beautiful place.“

„Thank God“, she said dryly. „Else the tourists wouldn’t come. What brings you two here though, if not a romantic getaway?“

Maybe Villain should have said that they were a couple. „Would you believe that we are simply to people bound by our desire to spend time in nature?“

„No.“

„Figures“, they said. Hero was now showing the children card tricks. Villain loved to make fun of them for that. With all the real magic in the world, why on earth would someone still learn cheap parlor tricks? But it was also strangely entertaining.

„It doesn’t matter why you are here to me“, the hostess continued, her voice now low. „But you two are not the only two people in the area looking for ancient secrets.“

Villain froze. How angry would Hero be at them for decapitating an old woman?

But she just laughed. „Don‘t look so panicked. As I said, I don’t care why people are here as long as they pay for their room.“ Villain was still contemplating their first idea, when she continued: „However, you two are the friendliest until now. Which is insane, given your track record.“

It was a confession to knowing exactly who Hero and Villain were and with all the luck they had had until now, it was probably a death sentence as well. They were seriously considering attacking the old hag.

She just laughed, though it had a dark ring to it. „How often do I have to tell you - I don’t care. You will not be the first looking for the treasures of our mountains and you will not be the last. As to why I am telling you this... Consider it a warning. Any more questions?“

A lot of things ran through Villains mind. Interesting would be wether or not the hostess had powers herself or was just very knowledgeable. Maybe they could strike a deal. Or maybe there were other people contending for the same prize as them right now.

Instead Villain blurted out: „If you know who Hero and I are, why would you assume we are together?“

The woman laughed again, though this time a lot more human. „I have seen a lot of people coming through here. I am a good people watcher.“

„It‘s just a pretense for he mission. Two young lovers travelling together, just not together enough to share a room all the time. A good cover story“, Villain let her know. „It’s all fake.“

„Is it, though?“ The woman smiled, almost pitifully.

------------

“I was sent to stop you.“

Villain sighed and answered dryly: “What a surprise.“ Heros response was a crooked grin that couldn’t quite reach their troubled eyes. The last thing Villain wanted was a fight in their own apartment, so they decided not to use their magic for now.

“Have you told them where I live yet?“, they asked. Hero shook their head, staring out of the grand windows, as if the storm clouds outside were a much bigger threat than their nemesis. “If I had, they wouldn’t need to send me all the time.“

“So you like spending time with me?“

Hero finally turned their head again, eyebrows raised. “I’m being nice. Though I have to admit, I do prefer your company to those of most of my coworkers.“

Villain gasped theatrically and put a hand on their chest in mocking shock. “My, my, was that a compliment from you? And here I was, thinking you actually liked working with those airheads.“

Hero rolled their eyes, but the worried look was still there. Apparently they weren’t really looking for a fight either, since they made themselves comfortable on villains kitchen counter and just watched them.

It was a weird situation, Villain realized, because their earlier words did hold some truth to them. Even with all the fighting, the two of them usually held a respectful distance of each others private life. Especially apartments. When was the last time Hero had ambushed them in their home? The stakes back then had been a lot bigger than today.

And how casual their enemy looked! Their shirt wasn’t even buttoned completely, their fingers tapping on their phone case instead of treating Villain like a serious threat. Kind of insulting. Villain stood up. “Why are you really here?“

Heros attention was back on Villain now and to their surprise, answered earnestly: “Because as much as you want to help your friends on the other side of town, I want to help mine even more.“ Villain was taken aback by so much honesty. “But“, they continued, “after my last… mission, I’m kind of benched.“ Villain had heard about said mission. If rumors were true, hero had finally used their magic the way it was supposed to be used: fully and without regrets.

“So no one sent you?“

Hero smirked and stepped closer. “Would you want this to be a friendly visit?“

“Is it supposed to be one?“

“Ah, I wouldn’t go as far as to call us friends.“ There was a sort of playful glimmer now in Heros eyes. “Yet.“

“So your agency finally realizes that you aren’t made out of the right wood to be a soldier and they cast you out immediately? Or did you finally see that I was right all along?“ With ‚right all along‘ Villain meant their countless monologues they had held the hero, about how their power destined them to be more than a mere gear in the agencies machine of control. To their satisfaction, Hero flinched a little. So something must be true.

Villain thought they had gained control of their conversation again, but Hero surprised them again by simply shrugging. “Something in between. There’s a lot to think about.“

“Don’t tell me you’re finally joining me“, Villain said sarcastically.

“Again, I wouldn’t go as far. But we could have a little more fun than fighting this time.“ Villains mouth went dry. They had flirted with Hero before - of course, they were very attractive and quick-witted enough to keep them on their toes as well - but this was way above their usual banter.

“You-,” Villain narrows their eyes, “You’re messing with me.”

“Am I?” Hero muses, tone easy as if they were discussing the weather and Villain’s upper lip curls away from their teeth.

“Yeah, you are,” Villain snaps, looking down their nose at them, “And you need to stop before I make you stop.”

Hero makes an absentminded noise in the back of their throat. They unfasten another button from their shirt.

“Is that so?” they say, and the tips of Villain’s ears go hot.

Despite them knowing better, Villain grabbed Heros wrist and pushed them back against the kitchen counter. “You do not come into my home and make a fool out of me like this.“ Their faces were now only inches apart.

Satisfied the villain noticed that Heros calm demeanor had finally cracked. Their eyes were wide open, pressed against the counter, probably wondering if it had been wise to try and rewrite the rules of their relationship.

“I wasn’t lying. I was sent to stop you from even getting to the scene“, Hero whispered. “However, I’m also not lying now. If I wanted you stopped, I would simply stop you.“ A sad smile appeared on their lips. „But then who would stop me?“

For a second time seemed to move slower. Villain noticed all the tiny details on their opponents face that were usually too far away. Barely visible freckles on the nose. A small scar on their right eyebrow. An uneven breath, still betraying all the calmness they tried to show off. An uncontrollably fast beating heart - though maybe that was just Villains.

It was no use trying to mantle their own desire, as it must have been obvious to Hero. They wouldn’t be there otherwise. So Villain used their other hand to push a strand of hair out of Heros face and said: “If I ever find out you are lying to me…“ The hand wandered from their cheekbones to their throat. Villain didn’t need to say anything else.

“Like calls to like”, villain mused, an unusal spark in their eyes.

Sometimes Hero missed the person they used to be. The good old times. There had been less fighting, less foes and less of everything in general.

Sadly, I can’t find the person whom I got the seasonal prompt from. Also, I’m way too late to post. Whatever. I really wanted to get it out there.

All the crossed out words are words one is supposed to use!

________

crisp air

memories

tea time

rainy

carriage ride

star gazing

mysterious

early sunsets

historic

cozy

shooting stars

gloomy

cuddling

scarecrow

gratefulness

stellar constellation

blanket

rainboots

hugs

mist

fireplace

steaming mugs

wind

puddles

moonlight

Thanksgiving

grey sky

smoke

apple cider

lanterns

NOVEMBER

Autumn never arrives on time, yet it always does - at least in the northern hemisphere.

Usually that happens around October, seldom only in November. However, climate change happens to make some changes in the expected seasonal weather, so you may find yourself only in a T-shirt and some jeans, even though the sun sets early already.

Jay coughed. Even though September 23rd had been around two months ago, fall seemed to only arrive now. And Jay was not dressed for the occasion. Why had she decided to walk to her friend’s house from the train station (and where were her rainboots?) - puddles seemed to be everywhere.

The young woman was not one to back down from a self-set challenge, like walking to a friend’s house for one’s health, so she set her head straight and started walking again. A cold wind picked up and suddenly she wished she were in a neighborhood with more regular taxis.

Even though she couldn’t even see the moonlight in the grey sky, likely due to all the mist, a lot of houses were already decorated for christmas and therefore very well lit. Smoke came from the chimneys and it made the whole neighborhood more alive somehow.

Jay wished it was less alive. She kept imagining a black figure creeping up behind her, but every time she turned around, no one was there.

It wasn’t too bad in near all the houses, Jay was more worried about the path she had to take through the fields - no lanterns, many scarecrows… ugh. The whole atmosphere was gloomy, the further she got away from the neighborhood centre.

Suddenly a hand grabbed her arm and Jay’s heart stopped beating for a second. Now it was over, she thought. Then she rammed her elbow into the tall figure behind her and wanted to start running, until she heard a familiar grunt: „Bloody hell…“

Jay turned around and her panicked expression slowly turned into an annoyed one.

„More like, what the hell? You can’t creep up on someone like that!“ „I wasn’t creeping up on someone, I was creeping up on you. You know me.“

Jay scoffed. „Sadly. What are you doing here?“

„Same as you, I suppose. Thanksgiving dinner.“

„They invited you?“

Eric gave her a look. „You don’t seem to be in the holiday spirit. How about a little gratefulness? Don’t tell me you haven’t seen the weird people around here.“

Although Jay wanted to punch him (like always when she saw him) he did have a point. Not wanting to admit that, she just shrugged: „Yeah, one is right in front of me. I did think someone was following me, but again, must be you.“

„Don’t flatter yourself. I was taking a cab, but the driver refused to drive further than this village - something about tariff zones -, so I had to walk the rest of the way.“

She contemplated whether or not he was telling the truth, but then again, why would he be following her? Only to show himself now? A cold shower ran down her back. „Fine“, she murmured and turned around. „Let’s go.“

Eric rubbed his hands together and sprinted after her, with a sarcastic „yay!“.

They walked in silence and left the houses behind them and walked on a path next to a corn field. With every step their surroundings were harder to keep apart from each other as it got steadily darker without street lamps.

„I should have just given the driver more money. A little bribe never hurt anyone.“

„Scared?“ Jay raised her eyebrows and tried to put on a cocky voice. He did not need to know how she actually felt.

„No. I just prefer light, warmth and coziness over fog and mysterious woods.“

„We’re in a field.“

„Yeah. In front of woods.“

„Pff.“

„At least it’s not rainy.“

„Hm.“

„Have I done anything to offend you?“

Both parties couldn’t help but chuckle at that statement. It was this unspoken rule between them that they just didn’t like each other. Ever since high school. It might have been over petty disagreements, but there was no reason to change their opinions of each other. At least their banter usually got a laugh out of their friends and (not that they would ever admit it to each other) sometimes made them rethink their actions.

„The question is, what haven’t you done?“ Jay mused and Eric nodded in agreement. Or at least she thought he was, it got darker and darker around them. „However“, she continued, „I agree that it’s a little spooky out here. Therefore, a little conversation can’t hurt.“

„Spooky“, he echoed. „Very mature vocabulary.“

„I’m about to never speak another word.“

„You couldn’t keep your mouth shut to save your life if I said something you disagreed with.“

„Don’t act like you’re above me, or may I remind you of my use of the word spooky?“

He didn’t respond, which might have been due to the harsh wind picking up again. Maybe the fog would finally disappear. Jay shivered and subconsciously closed the space between her and Eric.

„I would give anything for a cab. Or a carriage, that would have been fun“, he mused. Jay turned to face him and shoot him an incredulous look - without much success thanks to the darkness.

„A carriage? Like… the historic mode of transportation with horses?“

„I doubt you’re using the word historic right.“

„How else would I use it?“

Then two separate discussions started at the same time, one about the word ‚historic’ and the other one about whether or not a carriage would make the whole situation even creepier. (It would.)

After that they fell into a comfortable silence, at least until they saw a deer. Well, Jay was certain it must have been a deer, whereas Eric insisted it must’ve been a cryptid of some sort („Will you stop it? Don’t make this worse!“), so they decided to talk about more comforting topics. Like autumn itself.

„You know it’s autumn when the air gets like, really crisp“, Eric stated as an answer to Jay’s earlier thoughts about the seasonal definition. Jay nodded. What he said made sense, in a weird way. „What’s your favorite fall memory?“ he asked her then, sounding almost sincerely interested. So Jay decided to humor him: „Stargazing.“

„Isn’t it like… really cold outside all the time?“ And so Jay told him about stellar constellations, shooting stars and ghost stories around a campfire. And somehow, the more fun they had, the less cold and gloomy their surroundings seemed to become.

The moonlight glistened above the sea.

No one was around for miles and for the first time in seemingly forever Joan managed to relax. What a strange sensation, finally getting to relax only due to a ship sinking and crashing on an island.

Away from responsibilities, hate, stress and all those annoying things.

It would be perfect. Except for one thing-

“Cute shirt.”

Joan rolled her eyes.

“You should’ve drowned.”

„Well, here we are. There‘s no way out, Mr. Bond.“

“Oh c’mon, you are supposed to be dead!” Hero snapped. Than, a little softer: “You could’ve not shown up at my wedding, at least.”

“Before your wedding, darling. Also, as your archenemy I could have at least gotten an invite.”

“You were dead.” 

The antagonist raised an eyebrow. “Supposedly. Anyways, enough with this wedding crap. I’m here to swoop you away. Nice dress, by the way.”

Hero sighed. At first she wanted to argue, but it would be pointless. He knew her too well to believe that she actually wanted this wedding to happen. 

“Where to?”

“Let the past die. Kill it, if you must.”

A: „Well, C, you are my best friend after all!“

B: „I thought... I was your best friend?“

A: „No, we‘re different. But, in a good way!“