#Flinch

[ajwild220]

"Trust me" Hero x Villain

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“Take them to their room. Now. I will deal with them myself” Villains words held a promise, making Hero’s skin crawl.

Hero’s arms were instantly enveloped in the strong grasp of two of Villain’s henchman. Their body flexing on instinct as if preparing for a fight, a fight they promptly lost as both Henchman’s grip turned bruisingly tight. It was all Hero could do to not wince in Villains presence as they were dragged down the hallway their nemesis’s eyes following them until they turned the corner.

The longer Hero was forced to walk the more they began to panic. Villain had always scared them more than they cared to admit. The very thought of them being in a room alone together with Villain having the upper hand was terrifying to them. Villain's promise loomed in the air, they would deal with them. Personally.

Hero’s mouth went dry and they tried to swallow. Now they were fighting more enemies than the ones who had their meaty hands gripping Hero’s arms. Hero fought down their own panic which was a much harder battle to win. Every doorway they passed only served to raise Hero’s trepidation as their muted powers begged to surface but it would be of no use, the henchmen’s body armor was specially made. There was no way, powers or not, Hero could free themselves from their clutches.

Finally they reached a familiar doorway. The one Hero had managed to escape from not a half hour ago. The taste of defeat was sickening. Hero’s heartbeat began to rise, they couldn’t go back in there. They couldn’t face villain alone. They struggled and immediately wished they hadn’t. A harsh blow fell across their face making their vison go white, their eyes smarting with tears from the impact before they were shoved to their knees, arms ripped behind them eliciting a small cry. When Hero heard the click, their head snapped wildly around. Power suppressing cuffs. Hero’s fighting only aided in more bruises as the cuffs clamped both wrists behind them. Any hope of a fight with Villain was banished, they were completely at their mercy. The henchmen yanked Hero up off the floor sneering as they threw them through the open doorway. As they hit the floor Hero could hear the bolt locking from the outside.

Hero couldn’t help but take a shuddering breath as the footsteps outside faded into complete silence. Their arms ached where finger shaped bruises were beginning to form and circulation was just beginning to flow again. Reluctantly they pushed off the floor, which was easier said than done with their arms securely behind them, and leaned heavily on the bedframe. The room was dark but their eyes were beginning to adjust to the moonlight streaming through the protected windows opposite them. They couldn’t help but glance around at the place of their previous captivity. It was just as they had left it, the room too lavish for any prisoner.

It was unsettling, the soft pillows and comforter, dark curtains, two comfortable chairs with an attached bathroom. How you would treat a guest, not a captive. The mixed signals had eaten at Hero the entire time they had been here just as they were now. They suppressed a shiver as they remembered the way Villain had watched them be dragged away. Eyes never leaving their face as they told the henchmen Hero’s fate.

Hero felt sick. The reality of Villains appearance in the near future was sinking into their being leaving behind a cold wake of fear. On a normal day Hero would put on a brave face and run towards the danger as any good Hero would, but today was far from normal. Normally they were an even match, now Hero was stripped of any way of defense, Villain could do anything.

Overwhelming dread and hopelessness pulsed through Hero’s veins as they began to pace. Their heart thumped unnaturally strong in their chest and their breathing started to grow harsh and ragged as they pondered what Villain’s threat could mean. Surely the pain they felt all over themselves now could not compare to what would come when they were at their enemy's mercy. That’s when they heard a thump. The telltale sound of footsteps coming to stop outside their door.

Hero tried desperately to calm themselves, but it only resulted in more panicked anticipation. As they heard the key in the lock, they bit their lip until it bled. A trickle of blood pooled inside their lips forcing Hero to swallow as they slowly backed themselves into the wall trembling and straightening their back in effort to look like they had their emotions in check.

The lock rattled and the hinges creaked as if joyfully announcing the new arrival. Hero's mouth went dry as Villain entered calmly, tall, strong, imposing as ever as their body filled the doorframe. Their eyes, eerily blue swept the room before locking onto Hero and closing the door behind them with a resounding click causing Hero to shudder.

“Hello Hero” their voice dripped into the silence. Hero’s fingernails dug into their palms to keep their hands from shaking. “Why are you standing in the dark?” it almost sounded like… genuine concern? Villain’s eyebrows furrowed a bit, and they remained still for a moment before slowly reaching toward the light waiting for any indication of displeasure from Hero. Hero remained as unmoving as possible pulse rushing wildly through their ears. The light flicked on and Hero squeezed their eyes shut against the brightness.

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The first thing Villain noticed was Hero’s eyes, once adapted to the light they were wide, skitterish and their pupils were dilated. Hero was watching them with an emotion they had never seen from them before, their back pushed against the wall and their hands behind them. The whole thing was odd, normally Hero would stand tall, eyes daring them to fight or make some sassy comment. This seemed like an entirely different person. That’s when Villain noticed the blood, barely present on Hero’s swollen lip. Villains face darkened as they took a step into the room. “Hero, who—”

Before Villain could ask which henchman had dared lay hands on them Hero did something entirely unexpected. As soon as Villain stepped forward Hero stifled a whimper and cowered away. Villain froze. Everything clicked at that moment. The look, the posture, the eyes; Hero was terrified of them.

That had never been Villains intention. In fact, it was quite the opposite. Hero had been placed here for their protection, Supervillain’s heist was happening this week and Villain had begged to keep Hero somewhere where they would not cause problems. Unbeknownst to Supervillain, Villain just couldn’t stand the thought of sweet sacrificial Hero getting caught in the crossfire. They had never intended for something like this to happen.

“Hero?” Villain almost whispered.

Hero kept their eyes solidly trained on Villains boots and Villain could see their lip almost trembling. Villain took another step forward this time, much more slowly as they spoke “Hero, listen to me.” Another step, another whimper from Hero. “I am not going to hurt you.” Villain was not known for being reassuring but something about seeing Hero, their Hero, so broken, eyes like a kicked puppy, something tugged at them. They were so close to Hero now, almost close enough to reach out and touch them. Hero’s head was down, shoulders slumped as if to protect themselves but their hands remain decisively behind them. Something was behind Hero.

“What are you holding?” Villain couldn’t help the slightly suspicious tone. Perhaps this was all a hoax, a farce to get Villain close enough for Hero’s scheme. Hero didn’t answer.

“What are you holding, Hero?” the sympathy left Villains voice and they stood up straight again, tall and threatening. “Show me. Now.” Hero’s wide eyes met Villain’s a moment before Villain struck. Villain closed the distance between them grabbing Hero’s shoulders and turning them forcing their chest against the wall. Hero’s breathing hitched as Villain held them firmly in place. Villain instantly examined Hero’s hands, freezing at what they saw. They hadn’t asked henchmen for the power restraining binding.

Guilt flowed through Villain as they began to feel Hero’s body shudder under their grip. Villain wanted to apologize, to say sorry. Instead, their grip loosened as they traced the moon shaped indents Hero’s nails had made against their restrained palms. “I didn’t know” they fully released Hero who immediately tried to put space between them. “I didn’t ask them to put those on you, believe me.”

Hero swallowed as they took a step to the side their voice shook but they tried to resemble the Hero they were. “Don’t ask me to believe that Villain.”

Villain’s eyes raked over them, disheveled, shaking and still fighting back, even if it was just a little.

“Even if it’s the truth?” Villain tried to step closer, but Hero moved back.

“If it’s the truth,” Hero took a shaking breath. “Prove it.”

The room was still as they both stood silently, Hero just beginning to think maybe they had made the wrong move. Then Villain sprang into action. Determinedly they began to close the gap between them, it was unexpected, and Hero tried to move away but Villain was ready this time. Before Hero could register what was happening their back hit the wall at the corner of the room with Villains body blocking all escape.

Hero’s ears burned red at their proximity and heartbeat faster knowing they were completely trapped. They wanted to put their hands up as a barrier, a separation between them, but they couldn’t. They couldn’t fight back; they dropped their gaze, breath once again shaky at Villains mercy.  

Warm fingers gently directed their chin upwards, Hero tried to pull out of Villain’s touch but Villain wouldn’t let them, fingers still gingerly holding Hero’s chin as they waited for Hero to relax enough to look them in the eyes. When Hero finally complied Villain hummed in approval,

“In order to 'prove it' you have to let me near you, Sweetheart.”

Villain could feel Hero’s breath hitch at the nickname. Villain continued “I didn’t put those cuffs on you, I don’t have the key so I can’t just let you out.” Hero stiffened “but hold on relax I wasn’t finished.” Villain waited for Hero to breathe again. “I know how to break you out, the thing is,” Villain finally dropped their fingers from Hero’s face. “You have to trust me and stay still.”

Hero’s fear of Villain was only surpassed by the insane desire to be free. They offered Villain a small nod. It was still hard for Hero to think with Villain’s body so close so entrapping and warm, but they didn’t have another option in sight.

“Alright then. But first—” Villain delved quickly into their pocket and retrieved a clean white handkerchief. Unfortunately, all Hero saw was Villains raised hand and quick movement. They flinched in anticipation of a blow. When it never came, they opened their eyes slowly and upon seeing the contents of Villain’s hand realized their mistake. Carefully they met Villains gaze, it was not angry as expected, more of an emotion they couldn’t place but it seemed almost like disappointment.

Villain broke eye contact this time as they folded the handkerchief and held it up almost shyly. “For your lip.” Villain paused a strange weight coming between them,

“We’re not in uniform, I wouldn’t hit you like that.”

Hero studied Villains face and upon seeing truth, nodded slowly in understanding.

Villain offered a half smile devoid of actual happiness just to show they were glad they were understood before raising the cloth, slower this time, in Hero’s direction. Hero pulled away their voice small, “could we wait until after you take the cuffs off?”

“Would you let me clean your lip if both your hands were free?”

Hero paused, “Yes.”

“Liar.” Hero's lips almost quirked at how well Villain knew them. “I can see what you can’t, it will be better if I do it…Or do you not trust me?”

It was a trap and Hero knew it, if they said they didn’t trust them how would they ever get the cuffs off. And if they said they did Villain would do what they wanted anyway. It was a lose-lose situation.

Villain could sense the inner conflict and interrupted “Just trust me. Please.”

Hero took a shuddering breath, once again they were posed with a choice that wasn’t really much of a choice. “Ok, go ahead.”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“You wouldn’t like my answer,” Hero retorted. “be content that I’m allowing you to do this.”

Villain who had given Hero more space in the last few moments closed the gap and rested their hand on the wall behind Hero’s head “Since when are you in control of this situation?”

That shut Hero up pretty quickly. The forgotten fear had come back as they remembered exactly who they were sassing. Villain didn’t wait for Hero’s thoughts to catch up rather brought the handkerchief up to Hero’s face, wiping away the little blood that had stained their bottom lip. Hero’s face was beet red, and they didn’t know where to look. Villain was so concentrated, and their hand was impossibly gentle. Hero tried not to move, much less shiver at Villain's touch.

Villain finished cleaning the drying blood and they refolded the handkerchief to a clean space. One hand moved to cradle Hero’s jaw and Hero tensed as Villains thumb calmly caressed Hero bottom lip.

“Relax.”

It was quite hard to relax when Hero’s heart was practically beating out of their chest. No one had ever held them like this, much less been this gentle. They would have wanted to lean into the touch had they not remembered just who’s hands they were in. Their arch nemesis, Villain, the one who had put them here, the one they were afraid of! Hero’s mind screamed at them to pull away and stop the mixed feelings, but Villain interrupted,

“Am I hurting you?”

Hero’s eyebrows furrowed “What?” they practically whispered.

“I asked if I was hurting you.” Villain asked matter of factly.

Confused Hero shook their head, “No.”

Villains thumb resumed lightly rubbing Hero’s lip

“Then please relax so I can see your cut. It’s mostly on the inside.” Hero’s lips only relaxed a bit with the information. Villain looked at Hero with a longsuffering glint in their eyes. “Would you please let me help you? I’m not trying to hurt you.” Hero didn’t want to give in, to trust the person before them but something in Villain’s tone reminded them, they were safe. What an odd word to use while in a situation like this. However, Hero took a deep breath and allowed Villain to assess the damage.

Villain was careful, painstakingly so. They wiped away the fresh blood and put a small amount of pressure on the miniature wound. Hero winced.

“Sorry” Villain seemed to wince with them. Just as quickly as it had begun it was over. Villain ran a thumb over their lip one last time before dropping all contact from which Hero had to hide their sigh of relief.

Stuffing the handkerchief back in their pocket Villain took a step back before sitting down in one of the cushioned chairs leaving Hero standing dumbly in the corner.

“You were really that scared of me?”

Hero gave a confused look.

Villain gestured to their own lip. “The bite. You must have done it right before I came through the door.”

“I-I well what was I supposed to expect when you said you’d deal with me personally?”

“Well I thought I would come in and have a deal of fun with you.”

Hero’s features contorted at the implication before Villain realized their mistake.

“No no no that’s not what I meant” they almost rose from their seat before taking their face in their hands “that was not what I meant at all, I misspoke. I meant I was going to congratulate you on your escape and I thought we would banter like we always do. I didn’t think you would see me as the threat and…I wasn’t planning any of this.”

A long pause followed Villains outburst, the quiet calming Hero as they could sense the almost fond attitude Villain had towards them. In fact, if they didn’t know better they would even say that Villain was embarrassed by the things said in the last few moments. Villain sat stick straight looking vastly uncomfortable. Hero couldn’t help this strange feeling inside of them, perhaps it was their Heroic instincts or maybe just the fact that they truly understood that Villain was not planning to hurt them at the moment. Whatever it was Hero did something they hadn’t done the entire time they had seen Villain. They closed the gap between them and unquestioningly turned their back and held out their hands.

“I trust you.”

Part 2

[everyday-is-uncle-day]

two very different flinches

[blackseafoam]

✨Flinch✨

From an extremely brief imperial deployment to working for a severely dysfunctional science crew. An extremely toxic work environment from day 1, with his boss and coworker having been at odds with each other for almost a year. Flinch is resolute but having a hard time adjusting to being forced into “civilian” life, and trying to figure out his new role on the team.

[thefugitivesaint]

Sue Coe, ''Flinch'', #3, Aug. 1999

[everydaystyles]

Flinch (Late Late Show 2017)

[emojiburst]

[soundcrusher]

Work's a horror show and I got a funny little idea.

So... doodle time it is!

The Record and Overlord doodle isn't part of my idea, but it was way too damn funny to not doodle it.

Also! Featuring @cuppajj's Sentient Lost Light being a papa to baby Pheonix, because that's a huge part for my funny little idea.

[mossware]

SotG #006

Howdy folks, this week in the project I spent working on some preliminary combat systems, like flinching and poise mechanics! Getting combat to feel weighty is tough, but I'm pretty happy with the progress so far. Especially flinching, I have it currently calculating the point of contact between the colliders and using that to get a direction that the attack is coming from to make the victim flinch in the according direction. When poise is broken it also briefly slows down time a lot, it really gives it a lot of emphasis but its still a work shopped idea, not entirely sure if I'll keep it in the long run. Anyways thanks for reading, I'll see y'all next week!

[haveyoureadthiscomic-poll]

[painonthebrain]

JuneofDoom Day 6 - Flinch

@juneofdoom

Content: Gun use, standard buckshot roulette things

The music from outside thuds through the walls.

Reverb had made his choice. Signed the waiver.

His name glows bright on the screen counting his score.

Only so many chances.

The music thrums in his veins. His blood is warm.

He listens to Lilith. Plays the game.

… The shells are inserted in a random order.

He knows this. Everyone who plays the game knows. They know the risks.

The music sounds distorted. Faint, but too loud to concentrate.

… Concentrate!

He holds the rifle. He knows there shouldn’t be any live rounds left. He’s been counting.

… Is his heartbeat syncing with the music?

He pauses, gripping the handle. Fingering the trigger.

Reverb’s hands shake.

He presses his finger down — flinching violently, reacting on impulse.

Click.

…

A blank.

He shudders, letting out a breath.

He knew that. What else was he expecting?

Taking a deep breath, he sets the rifle down.

When he looks up, he can see Lilith smiling.

She looks him in the eye and picks up the rifle for the next round.

[princessheatherblossom]

So ferocious

[blackseafoam]

AF Attack for @funkyydinoart

Our clone OCs bout to tear up the town

Flinch just started his desk job on Coruscant and thought he’d go out and see what all the fuss is about. Little did he know, Sharkbait and his squad were on the hunt for a little brother to adopt for the night (they got absolutely thrashed).

[astaldis]

@juneofdoom

Prompt: 6 "Flinch"

Chapters: 1/1    Words: 150 Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia & Jaskier | Dandelion, Maria Barring | Milva & Jaskier | Dandelion Additional Tags: June of Doom 2024, Flinch, Friendship, bad memories, Drabble and a Half, The Hansa | Geralt's Company (The Witcher), Protective Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia

Summary: "Ouch!" he exclaims, flinching back from her ...

[ace-reaction-images]

[ironsaguaro]

Flinch 1, The Comic that Jim Lee, Frank Quitely, and Richard Corben Coul...

[lichfucker]

[image description expanded from alt text: digital drawings of five characters, with sketchy pencil-like line art and flat colors. each character has a different pastel-colored background. first is Velkyn, a muscular drow with dark grey skin and long white hair worn in dutch braids. they're wearing a sleeveless teal shirt and are glaring ahead at the viewer with their arms crossed. the background is teal. next is Flinch, a green-skinned tiefling with long darker green hair, a short beard, solid bronze-colored eyes, and curling ram horns. he's wearing a purple shirt with a flared collar beneath a black vest, and he's excitedly saying, "In his evil name!" the background is purple. next to Flinch is Kor, a tan-skinned human with white hair slicked into a ponytail and shaved on the sides. she's wearing a sheer long-sleeved shirt covered in yellow moons beneath a dark blue tube top, a light blue bandana around her neck, and dark blue lipstick. Kor is glancing over her shoulder at the viewer and smiling. the background is blue. first on the second row is Damiane, a light-skinned halfling with dark wavy hair and a scar through one eye. they're wearing greenish metal armor, a red scarf, and red lipstick, and looking down with concern at their hand. Damiane's fingertips are turning black and their hand is saying, "Take me to my brothers!" the background is yellow. last is Curmudgeon, a purple-skinned tiefling with stringy grey chin-length hair, blacked-out eyes with thin red irises, and a pair of black swooping horns. they're wearing a black and red mantle over a black and white shirt, and a silver choker around their neck. they're rolling their eyes and holding up their middle finger. the background is red. end id]

accidentally opening an infernal portal and causing the sky to rain blood? sneaking out of bazzindell with your partner's not-quite-ex-spouse? accidentally contracting hell-hand? getting put on hold by your evil dragon deity's receptionist? betraying your only friend by stealing a diamond from him? failing to burn down a church? coming back to the empire just in time for a hostile takeover? being told by a judge in a magic dream that you're not allowed to get divorced?

what a fiasco!

(click for quality 🙄)