#hero x villian

A cruel hug

“Do you understand now? “

The villain hadn’t noticed how hard they were breathing until it was the only thing left to be heard. How desperate their voice sounded in their last plea of kinship. But

It does’t matter what happens afterwards. They just needed the hero to understand.They quickly tried to wipe away the tears running down their cheeks but it had been a futile gesture long ago.

They didn’t know when the hero had lowered their weapon but suddenly it hit the ground with a bang and the hero was closing the distance in a couple of struts.

Usually kind eyes, full of hope and determination, were now full of sorrow and compassion, holding theirs like a prisoner; seemingly taking in every little thing they possibly could. Their face. Their entire body. Their past, they just poured out all over the floor. Their entire future, yet to be determined. And most of all: Them. The villain. In every possible way. In their entirety.

They have never felt this naked. They have never felt this save. They didn’t believe anyone ever did.

A shaking hand was held next to their cheek. Slowly they cupped their face and even slower, a thumb wiped away the last tear.

“I am. So. Sorry. This happened to you.” How could a voice be so full of sorrow when it wasn’t their own to carry ?

“It should’ve never happened. To anyone. And certainly not when you were -. I am truly sorry. “

And then the hero came impossibly closer and wrapped their arms around them.

The villain could neither comprehend the grief, for their past self, that never got this confirmation of cruelty, flooding them ….nor the sudden, overwhelming relief of being understood. Of finally being seen. It was so much. So so much and much more than they had ever hoped for.

Sure they had been trying to get the hero see their side; to make them understand for so long …but it had gotten to be more of a routine.

The villain would start executing their plan; the hero would come in trying to stop them, when plan was juuuust about to work and thus they tried to quickly explain everything but the hero didn’t take it serious at all, thinking they’ve gone insane; shaking their head at them like you would at a silly little kid not getting why they can’t visit their mother anymore; and then? Then they would fight.

Sure they had always kept on trying to explain everything, but both could see how defeated it had been; as if every word had been said by a tired museum guide. They had given up on the hero understanding a thing about them. But now ? Now they finally understood.

With a barley noticeable jump, the villain wrapped themselve around the hero tightly, pulling them even closer into the hug. Their heads buried into each other’s neck, arms almost hurting from hugging the other so tightly.

Neither could let go. Neither could tell how long they stood there like this. Only that at some point the hero slowly loosened their gripped, the villain mirroring them. The hero stroked a couple times over their arms and looking up, the villain could finally see their like-wisely tear-streaked face. With a small smile the hero repeated: “I am sorry.”

This time when they went into a hug, they cupped the villains face with their right hand and the villain leaned into the touch without any hesitation. The other hand was now slowly rubbing circle onto their back and the world has truly shrunken down to the small square the villain and theirherooccupied.

“I need you to know something.”, the hero finally croaked out. A small smile grazed the villains face. Unwillingly. But not unwelcome. After all, the hero had always needed the last word.

“Of course.”, they breathed.

“I am not hugging you.”

The villain huffed at this ridiculousness and rolled their eyes playfully but not hiding the fondness for once. Not that the hero could see it.

“As if I’d be the one hugging you. Never.”

A small chuckle. The hug tightened for a second.

“You don’t understand. I’m not hugging you.” This time, the villain could hear the seriousness in their voice. The strain.

What.Brows began to furrow. Their entire body stopped.

“I am hugging the you, who had to go through it all. The you, who experienced all those atrocities. Those cruelties. But I’m not hugging you.”

Confused the villain tried to lean back again but before they even noticed, the hands that had just a moment ago stroked their face and rubbed circle into their back, were now binding theirs behind their back. The loud *click* echoed through the room. Through their mind.

They were handcuffed.

The hero’s head still laid in the crook of their neck. And with their hands holding the villains behind their back, it still felt like hug. A cruel one…but a hug nonetheless.

“Iam sorry for all the cruelties that were done to you”, the hero whispered into their ear.

How can a voice carry so much sorrow and compassion,

“But it doesn’t justify all the cruelties you’ve done upon others.”

while delivering such a cold message ?

And the villain realised the reason why they had looked so pained. It hadn’t been for compassion. Not entirely. But because the hero had finally understood them. Truly understood. And yet they couldn’t do anything about to.

Because by then, they had already made up their mind. About the villain. Their so called atrocities. About who deserves mercy. About it all.

Thus it hadn’t mattered. Not even in the slightest. It had just made it so much worse. For the both of them.

Understanding means truly seeing. And truly seeing means mercy.

At least that’s way the villain had always told themselves. But not to the hero. No. Mercy had always meant, that those who aren’t an immediate threat, could get a fair trial. That death, wouldn’t await them. For now at least. So no. Mercy had never meant what they thought it did.

No reluctant acceptance.

No truce.

No working together.

No.

The villain hadn’t realised, how far ahead they had already planned; how they had already mentally integrated the hero into their little family.

Into their future.

Into their life.

“I am sorry.”

,the hero breathed one last time. This time, the villain could finally hear what they truly said.

I am sorry this happened to you. I am sorry you had to go through this alone. I am sorry that you felt compelled to make these plans and even try and executed them. That they had to stop them every time. That they never truly tried to understand before. That now that they did, they couldn’t do anything about it. That it was all too late. That they were now the one to feel compelled to follow through with their plan. That they had to betray them. One. Last. Time.

“I am too.”