autocrats-in-love

[autocrats-in-love]

Prompt (511)

The hero stared out at the rain pouring down. They stood at the threshold of the building, hands clutching the doorframe, unwilling to go out into the storm unarmed.

“Do you mind?” A voice said from behind the hero.

The hero scooted out of the way before they realized it was the villain. The villain walked outside without giving them a second glance, and opened up their umbrella. The hero looked away, trying to hide their envy.

“Hey,” the villain said.

The hero returned their stare to their companion. The villain was staring back at the hero—arm outstretched—offering them a second umbrella. The hero stared at the umbrella like it was an alien relic.

“Why do-” the hero began.

“You never check the weather before you leave the house,” the villain said, their face bored.

With that, they pushed the offering into the hero’s slack hands and walked off into the rainstorm.

[autocrats-in-love]

Prompt (510)

“Can you stop?” The hero shouted. “I’m trying to put out the fire.”

The villain continued casually flicking lit matches onto the already smouldering car. They smiled at the hero. “I’m just spicing things up a bit. Your job is too easy.”

[autocrats-in-love]

Prompt (509)

“This isn’t an efficient way of putting out a fire,” the hero said.

They were standing in the doorway of the home they shared with the villain. The hero had been watching the villain run back and forth to the kitchen sink with a single water cup. The villain glared at the hero. “You can make it more efficient by helping me.”

“You made the fire. Just remember this next time you try to make a bomb at home.”

[autocrats-in-love]

Prompt (508)

“Do you hear that?” The civilian asked their companion.

The pair were walking through the city, late at night. The civlian’s companion turned their head in the direction of the loud voices, coming from around the corner

“Yeah, I do. Maybe we should check it out,” the companion said.

The two walked up to their corner and poked their heads around. To their surprise, there stood the hero and the villain, in the middle of a heated argument.

“For the last time,” the hero rubbed their hand over their face, “you can’t threaten to blow up everyone who inconveniences you!”

“I have a lot of feelings! It’s how I express them,” the villain responded, clearly offended.

[autocrats-in-love]

Prompt (507)

The ground was dusted with snow. The hero carefully followed the footprints pressed into it, weaving between trees.

“Come on out,” the hero called, “don’t make me search this whole forest.”

“Over here!” Someone called.

The hero froze, confused. They headed in the direction of the noise, wary of a surprise attack. Instead, they found the villain, crouched down on the ground.

“Uh, hello,” the hero said. “I’m supposed to catch you now.”

The villain shifted into a sitting position and hissed. They held their right ankle carefully.

“Maybe you can do it after you help me out of the forest? I think I broke something running,” the villain said.

The hero rolled their eyes. But they bent down. “Fine. Grab my arm. Let’s get you somewhere safe.”

[autocrats-in-love]

Prompt (506)

The villain shook out their umbrella and opened the door their apartment. They jumped when the hero appeared on the other side.

“What the hell?” The villain said. “How did you find me? What are you doing here?”

The hero ignored the first question. “I came here to arrest you. But now I’m thinking I should help you clean up, instead. This place is a mess. You’re dripping all over the carpet, too.”

The villain crossed their arms defensively. “My home is none of your business.”

“Why are there plates in your bath tub?”

“Just arrest me already.”

[autocrats-in-love]

Prompt (505)

“Where are they?” The villain demanded.

There was a dark look in their eyes as they scanned the room for the hero. The villain’s henchman smiled, pleased with themselves.

“I’m holding them in a cell deep below ground level,” the sidekick said. “There’s no way they’re getting out.”

The villain crossed the room and grabbed the henchman’s collar. The villain’s tone was dangerous as they spoke. The henchman gulped.

“Let. Them. Go. Or you won’t live to regret it. Got it?” The villain said dangerously.

“Y. . .you got it boss,” the henchman stuttered.

[autocrats-in-love]

Prompt (504)

The villain swept the hero off their feet and into a hug.

“What are you-” the hero said, surprised and annoyed.

They were cut off my a gun shot. The hero winced at the loud noise. Their eyes followed the sound to a new crack in the wall behind them, right where they had been standing. The hero turned back to the villain, who was still holding them a few centimetres off the ground.

“What was that?” the hero said.

“Oh, thank you so much for saving my life!” The villain said, rolling their eyes. “We don’t have time for this.”

They set the hero down. The hero wobbled before finding their balance, distracted by the loss of the villain’s heat. The villain had already started running.

“Hurry up!” The villain called behind them. “Whoever’s after you isn’t getting any slower.”

[autocrats-in-love]

Prompt (503)

“Boo!” Someone shouted.

The hero turned around and squinted. They couldn’t see anything through the thick fog choking the jungle floor. The villain sighed in defeat.

“It’s me,” the villain said reluctantly.

“Let me guess,” the hero said, reaching blindly until they touched the villain’s shoulder, “you were going to surprise attack and kidnap me?”

“Yeah-” the villain sighed heavily. “-but now I can only do the kidnapping part.”

[autocrats-in-love]

Prompt (502)

The hero and villain sat next to each other in the holding cell. They would have made an effort to separate more, if not for the fact that they were both chained to the wall.

“Oh yeah, let’s just try and talk to the gang members, you said,” the villain grumbled, “they’re probably really reasonable people, you said.”

“Can you shut it?” the hero snapped.

The villain drove their knee into the hero’s side in retaliation.

[autocrats-in-love]

Prompt (501)

“That’s it,” the hero said. “I’ve had enough. I’m done foiling your evil plans.”

The villain could only stare at the hero for a minute. “What? What are you going to do?”

“I don’t know! Go on vacation or something.”

The villain fiddle with the hem of their shirt. “Oh. . .I would miss you, though.”

[autocrats-in-love]

Prompt (500)

The villain froze. “Wait. . .was that-”

The villain’s sidekick looked at the waiter, who was walking away from their table. “The hero, undercover, intent on taking you down? Yes, it was.”

“So-” the villain cleared their throat, “so when they were flirting with me just now. . .”

The villain’s sidekick rolled their eyes. Of course the villain chose the worst person in the world to have a crush on.

[autocrats-in-love]

Prompt (499)

“So,” the hero said to their sidekick over the phone. “You know how I found the villain’s number?”

The hero’s sidekick sighed knowingly. “Of course you did. Continue.”

“Well, I was figuring out what to do with the number when, I, uh, accidentally sent them a picture,” The hero said.

The sidekick sat up straight, now fully attentive. “What kind of picture?”

The hero didn’t respond. “Were you wearing any clothes?” The sidekick asked.

“. . .on the bottom, yes.”

Their sidekick’s laugh echoed across the line. The hero let out an annoyed huff, but they could feel the hot blush on their cheeks.

[autocrats-in-love]

Prompt (498)

“You’re really pretty,” the hero said absently.

The villain’s eyes widened. “That’s what you say to people who just kidnapped you.”

The hero would have shrugged if their restraints allowed it. “I’m just being honest.”

The back of the villain’s neck felt warm.

“Well, cut it out,” they said sharply.

[autocrats-in-love]

Prompt (497)

“No one move,” the hero says slowly, not taking their eyes off the explosive.

Everyone in the room froze. Except the villain, who sneezed. It was obnoxiously loud.

“What did I just say?”

“Sorry! I have allergies,” the villain said.

[autocrats-in-love]

Prompt (496)

“Have you seen this?” The hero smacked the newspaper down in front of the villain. “Everyone is convinced I’m secretly working with you.”

“Well, you are,” the villain said, trying and failing to keep the amusement from their voice.

“Well, not because I agree with your philosophies! I’m doing it to save the world!” The hero said, indignant.

“You should write a complaint to the editor.”

“Shut up.”

[autocrats-in-love]

Prompt (495)

“You have quite a lot of friends,” the villain whispered into the hero’s ear.

The pair were watching the hero’s birthday party from a secluded corner. How the villain had snuck into the hero’s home, the hero did not know.

“How many of them will turn on you once they realize who you are?”

The hero closed their eyes to stop the world from spinning. “Shut your mouth.”

“Face it- the only one who won’t abandon you is me,” the villain squeezed the hero’s arm. “I’ll be with you until your dying breath.”