#retired villain

[thepenultimateword]

Always

Villain tried to shut the door, but Henchman was too fast, catching it by its edge before the gap could fully disappear.

“Found you," they said, half threat, half croon. They shoved into the house, knocking Villain back a few steps.

"What are you doing here?" Villain said, catching themself on the coatrack and nearly pulling it down on top of themself.

Henchman reached over Villain's head to steady it and then stayed there. Peeling back the nonchalance plastered over their shame. Taking in their altered form.

"Where have you been?" they countered, soft, knuckle raised gently against Villain's cheek before abruptly dropping again.

"Here. There. What does it matter? You found me." Villain ducked under their arm and hobbled slowly to the couch. Henchman's heavy step traveled in the opposite direction, followed by the click of the door closing, then the steps tramped back toward them. By the time Villain had plopped down on the couch cushion Henchman was kneeling in front of them. For an instant, it was like nothing had changed. Total fealty.

Villain stopped their hand short before they could touch Henchman's head. It felt wrong when they were so utterly weak. There had always been a balance, Henchman so physically intimidating, and Villain thrumming with destructive power. The upper hand, the reason for such devotion, had been crystal clear. Now, Villain could wither and scatter under Henchman's expectations.

"You completely disappeared." Henchman laid their head in Villain's lap anyway. "You were hurt and I got worried. But you didn't answer my calls. You didn't tell anyone where you were going. It's taken me 8 months to track you down. It's like you were trying to avoid me."

Villain sighed, dropping their rigidness and succumbing to the urge to stroke back Henchman's hair. It was just as soft as they remembered, thick and fluffy like an animal pelt. They twirled a piece above their ear, but avoided Henchman's watching eyes as they responded, "I was done for and everyone knew it. It was better to step down and disappear than wait for someone else to assassinate me."

Henchman reached up and took loose hold of Villain's wrist. Why was their gaze so earnest? Didn't they know? Didn't they feel the difference in them? Shouldn't that past awe and adoration be visibally dying at the sight of them?

"I would've protected you," Henchman said.

"I didn't want you to. I have too many enemies. You would have been hurt."

"Then you should've told me. I would've come with you."

"I didn't want that either."

Henchman flinched, and Villain was struck with a stab of guilt. That wasn't entirely true. Of course, Villain had wanted Henchman with them. Of course, it was agony knowing they couldn't even say goodbye. But anything but a clean break would have been worse. They couldn't just ask Henchman to give up their position, goals, and standing for life of nothing. No, more than that, they couldn't bear to see Henchman's devotion grow into disdain. The loss of their powers was the loss of their worth. Henchman would've clung to the threads of their memories but ultimately, Villain would have failed them.

Henchman dropped Villain's wrist but huddled in a little closer. "And...now that I'm here?"

Villain's heart panged. "You should go back."

Henchman hugged tight around Villain's legs, almost like a lifeline. "Why?"

Moment of truth. Time to make this permanent. “I’m not going back.”

“I know.”

“I can’t. I’m ruined. Those heroes took everything when they stripped me and left me for dead."

"I know."

"And even if I wasn’t. I still wouldn’t go back. I was getting tired. Losing focus. That's how they got me in the first place."

“I know.”

Why did they keep saying that? Obviously, they did not know if they could be so casual. This was the rest of their life!

“Henchman, I can’t give you anything anymore. I don't have the influence or power to protect you. I can't bring about a bright new world. I'm spent. A pathetic shell. You should find another person to serve. I'll never be able to give you what you want."

Henchman turned their head up at them. "Why would I want any of that?"

Villain choked. "Don't you?"

"Maybe when I was a kid. Things change over a couple decades." They lifted their head and sank back on their heels. "Your powers were amazing. It's true that they drew me to you. But I never stuck around for that. Or for the status. You're just so..." Henchman broke off, face crinkling as they searched for the word. Finally, they shrugged. "I don't know; it's too big. You spent so long taking care of me. Looking out for me. Giving me chances I didn't think I deserved. Let me do the same for you." Henchman took their hand in both of theirs, hesitantly kissing one knuckle. "Just let me be with you."

Villain flushed a little. They'd always been close. Close enough for feelings. Close enough for both to recognize it in the other. But there had never seemed to be a right time to acknowledge them out loud.

"Do you really not want me here?" Henchman said at Villain's extended silence.

"You'd be ok with a normal life?" Villain pressed. "No powers, no schemes, no money, just me?"

"It's always been just you."

Villain slid off the couch and onto the floor in front of Henchman. "Of course, I want you here."

They couldn't keep their voice from cracking in the middle and the next thing they knew they were folded up in Henchman's arms. They melted immediately. All the shame, fear, and frustration seemed to fade right out of them.

"I love you."

Henchman jolted a little, but as they pressed their head to Villain's, Villain saw a smile tugging at their lips. "Good. Then I'll always, always stay."

[kingdomeromega0816]

This is none other than the known villain "King (Mamu) Wart", only now, he's a retired villain who had a change of heart for the better, (according to my fanfic lore).

He became good enough to become an "anti-hero", but not good enough to be an actual hero. (Thus he can be partially trusted by the heroes, but he's not fully trustworthy...)

In my fanfic, King Wart previously took the career of being in charge of a frog band as a musician and retired from evil-doing. King Wart wanted Iggy Koopa to magically create a sub-servant clone of Geno so that clone could play the flute in his frog band. (Iggy Koopa already became a good guy and a Chosen Hero of the 7 Star-Spirits).

Iggy asked Geno for one of his large string hairs to keep, Geno thought it was weird that Iggy asked for one of his hairs, but he already trusted Iggy as a pupil and friend, so he did not think too much of it. Geno agreed to cut one of his string hairs and gave it to Iggy.

King Wart wanted Iggy to make a magic Geno clone because he heard Geno play a flute very well and wanted such talent in his frog band. Iggy used a spell from star-spirit magic, while King Wart used his magic to combine it with Iggy's magic to create the clone. Iggy and King Wart made the mistake of combining the holier star-spirit magic with King Wart's darker magic and thus accidentally created the Pseudo-Genos.

(If you want to know more about King Wart's story, just visit my DeviantArt account called "unarpan0816".

[apollosstar8]

Prompt 8

A sad song was playing on the radio, a song you cried to not a song you danced to your lover with. But they didn’t care.

Years and years of fighting. Fighting for the world. Fighting for themselves. Fighting for each other.

So get fucked if you think you can tell them which songs they can and can’t dance to.

[starrynightarchive]

luffy is weird and strange and insane yesyes but what about the strawhats. they match his freak to a level that's dangerous to the public. nothing could ever prepare you for the insanity that is the strawhat crew. one could give you all the member's job descriptions and you would still be grossly underprepared for the clownfuckery that they are. actually, knowing their positions might fuck you up even more.

there's the ship's cook who dresses solely in three piece suits and smokes enough to give everyone in the grand line lung cancer through second hand smoking. he's gotta be an easy target right? WRONG now you are dead with a shoe sized hole in your chest because that guy's one of the strawhats' top three fighters. they have an archaeologist/terrorist for some reason??? what the hell, sure. surely she must be easy to kill. LOUD INCORRECT BUZZER your neck has been twisted your vertebrae broken not a single bone in your body is intact this might be the worst way to die actually. there's a sniper in the ship and hey look he's seems kinda weak actually, even if he had good aim one could take him down if they wore good armour surely- WRONG YOU ARE NOW FOOD FOR MAN EATING PLANTS. okay. fuck. they have a pet that likes cotton candy. maybe you can kidnap that. it's the ship's doctor?? it's supposed to be a reindeer??? whatever man it's not that weird right MAJOR WHOOPSIE HE IS ACTUALLY AN ELDRITCH HORROR YOU ARE DEAD AGAIN. they have a musician in the crew and it's a skeleton? wait. IS THAT UNDEAD MICHAEL JACKSON OH MY GOD- game over. he cut you with some underworld music powers or whatever the fuck. man fuck this crew. this shit is so ass.

[bet-on-me-13]

Reformed Dan but misunderstandings suck

So, Dan has been Reformed for Years at this point. You could go with the Fandom Typical version of just chilling out, or you could go with the AGIT version of the Redemption. Either way, Dan is fully reformed and trying to find his way in the World.

Unfortunately, not everybody knows/believes him.

You know all those Time Traveling Heroes who came back to stop some great catastrophe? That was Dan.

Impulse is fucking terrified of this guy, cause he Grew Up in the Central City Stronghold and saw Phantom tear down the Walls protecting the City in person.

Booster Gold grew up in the Metropolis Stronghold, so while he never really saw Phantom in his timeline he still did know of him. I mean, obviously, he murdered every hero on the planet and subjugated most of the world, but he doesn't have much personal stake in that.

Eobard Thawn hates Phantom. Thawn himself grew up in a world where Phantom killed every Hero in the world, and he was terrified that Phantom would track him down when he tried to become the new Flash. But once he became a Walking Paradox he saw as Time itself changed to erase Phantom from existence, he got really jealous. Why did Time decide Phantom was bad enough to erase, why not him!? He's Evil! He's a Terror on the Timeline! He deserves Clockworks attention dammit!

And then, they discover evidence that Phantom has come back in Time,

So now, any and all Time Travelers are trying to find the guy who single-handedly was the Apocalypse, and want to kill him to save the world. Or out of Jealousy in Thawns case.

Either way, no matter where Dan goes to try and settle down, a bunch of annoying Heroes always find him and attack him, yelling about "Stopping his Plans" and "Saving the Timeline!" And "It should have been me dammit!"

Honestly Thawn is the most annoying one, he just runs in and rants at him about how he is jealous of how much attention Clockwork gave him. Dude, just sdmit your crush already and leave me alone. (I'm not sorry)

[abusivelittlebunny]

who has the most tragic backstory Max or Charles? (What have you done to me? I have never watched F1 in my life yet I'm invested now)

Ooooof I think they're pretty evenly matched even though their back stories are very different... I don't want to spoil but what happens to either of them is not for the faint of heart

I think the most interesting thing about the two of them is how differently they cope with the shit they had to go through;

Charles wants to burn the world that wronged him to the ground and emerge victorious as it's new ruler showing that he is the predestined champion and all the suffering he went through had to be for a reason and that he deserves everything he wants, that it wasn't all for nothing. He wouldn't be able to accept going through hell and getting only second place.

Meanwhile Max has been fighting for so long for a throne he never even knew he truly wanted or was just raised to want. We all know Jos is not a good man but here he is worse than you can imagine and making Max suffer is necessary for him to build his perfect machine. But Max knows he's not a machine thanks to Carlos; he could have succumbed to his father's abuse, it would have definitely made his life easier. He wouldn't have had to suffer half as much if he kept his heart closed and never let himself give in to Carlos' love. But he did. And at first he blamed himself for being so stupid as to give in to his base needs and cravings but then the more he achieved what Jos has set him out to do the more he realised that the crown he's been raised to snatch at all cost is just a shiny piece of metal. That the suffering was actually meaningless if it was just for this stupid title. It breaks him at first, the realisation that Charles would never ever accept in this life.

It drives him to the brink, having the title but having sacrificed everything he lived for it because he had no other choice. But then Max also comes to the realisation that he didn't want to let go of the pain he went through either and that's why he can't possibly let go of Carlos. His heart clenches so painfully every time he sees him, but the pain means its real, that what they had, what they still have is more real than anything else. Their love is a pure diamond compared to the cheap plastic crown his father tried to exchange it for.

To Charles victory is what makes him able to cope with the pain, while to Max, who already experienced said victory and knows it's empty, the remedy to his bittersweet pain is love.

[zhalfirin]

Call Me Menace & Villains Never Retire - wingedcat13 Four alterations of the same book that I had the joy to hand over in person as a surprise gift to @desmothene, @pleasantboat, @finalfrontierpublishing and @fantailpress on a meet-up this January.

Many thanks to @wingedcat13 for the permission to share her work.

Read the Call Me Menace here and Villains Never Retire starting here.

Materials used book case boards - museum board (white) counter pull layer on boards- museum paper (white) spine stiffener - photo cardboard (white) vellum (calf parchment) coloured with alcohol based stain - cover material

inner book textblock paper - Schleipen fly 05 115gsm endpapers - marbled paper by Renato Crepaldi endbands - buttonhole silk coloured top edge - chameleon acrylic ink

[changeling-press]

Finally getting around to posting pictures of this cutie. Quarto paperback of Villains Never Retire by @wingedcat13

I adore this story and wanted to give it shadowy vibe fit for Synovus.

[red-garden]

TO ME Mu Qingfang is the epitome of “yeah, maybe I’m a girl, but maybe I also have a job and there’s not really time for that right now”

[vintagecandy]

I know she's probably lost forever and that he's a villain, but is it bad that I kinda really wish your Jervis finds his daughter--

Oh no, I'm sure just about everyone wishes poor Jervis could find his Alice someday, wishful thinking as it may be.

That maybe some grander villain just so happened to have snatched her up, or she lost her memory, or she fell down a rabbit hole, keeping her lost from him for years, so that somehow she can stumble back into a Jervis that's well into his villain career and insanity and-- seeing how much her father needs her-- their reunion just... fixes everything. A fairytale ending.

Well, for the most part. He has severe brain damage, needs a machine on his head to keep himself from symptoms of nerve poisoning, and by then had been through damaging amounts of experimental treatments from 1920s Arkham-- but if anyone could talk sense into him it'd be his daughter, once it fully clicks that he's found her. And he remembers the difference between a book and his child lmao.

She'd probably need to be his caretaker, but I don't think she'd mind at all. Certainly a better alternative than letting him rob banks.

[scumplanecucumberaircraft]

SJ/SQH Fic Idea

SQH and SJ are done with their peaks treating them like shit so they go off and have a hot girls summer (travel together, shenanigans ensues, they get arrested at some point *barbie meme* and eventually fall for each other) then they decide to go back and the peaks are in chaos but instead of fixing things they just decide to plan their wedding

SJ: fuck all y’all we’re getting married

SQH: ☺️

[sunnynwanda]

Done: Part 2

Part 1

Warning: This got more suggestive than expected. Minors DNI. 

It was quiet. Alarmingly so. Not a step broke the serenity of the library; not a page was being turned along the long rows of bookshelves, and not a shadow crossed the aisles. Villain let out a content sigh and returned their attention to the book on their lap. They were particularly fond of this secluded spot. They would visit the library every day when they were not yet known as Villain. Now that they had left the criminal life behind, this place seemed the best start for their new life. 

To their utter surprise, the citizens were worried for them when they did not show up for the regular battle in the middle of the week. They even started a mob leading to Hero’s headquarters to demand answers. Things were getting out of hand at an alarming speed, so Villain had to make an appearance and announce that the two parties had reached an agreement and would be ceasing their confrontations. 

Many still suspect that Hero did something to them. Well, to be fair, Hero did do something to them. More precisely, Hero did them. Except Villain could not get up there and say that. Not when the idea brought vehement colour to their face. It didn’t help that Hero kept teasing them too. When they made the announcement claiming to have reached a consensus, Hero chuckled. They then proceeded to inform everyone there were many disputes to discuss, to which Hero wiggled their eyebrows suggestively. Villain had to cut their speech short for the risk of exposing themselves. Their cheeks were burning brighter than the sun.

“I knew I’d find you here,“ Hero’s voice drags them out of their thoughts. They are standing across the window sill where Villain is seated, meaning they had to cross half of the library to get there. And Villain heard nothing. Shit. 

“How?” Villain wasn’t avoiding them. They were not. They might have needed time to think about what happened, because banging the enemy once was bad enough. Spending an entire night with them was worse. Finding it hard to leave in the morning because they crave more... was unthinkable. To say the least.

“I might have noticed you before we started the whole power play, ya know?“ Hero waves their hand vaguely, not pointing at anything. Or rather, at everything. “Back in uni.”

The thought sends a pleasant shiver down Villain’s spine. They shift, sliding their legs off the sill to sit upright. “Not funny.”

“Wasn’t trying to be.” Hero takes a few steps forward, blocking their way out. “Why are you avoiding me?”

“I’m not.” Villain has to squeeze the words out. Their throat feels tight, which has nothing to do with the memory of Hero’s mouth against it. Nothing at all.

“Yeah, right,” Hero shakes their head in disbelief at such a blatant lie. They lean against one of the bookshelves and cross their arms over their chest. “That’s why I haven’t seen you for a week.”

Villain huffs, unamused. They are not prepared for this conversation because anything Hero says will correspond with their desires, and they do not have enough arguments to counter them. Shit. “We agreed to stop meeting, remember?”

“No, we agreed to stop fighting for the city none of us needs,” Hero corrects with a patient smile. “We didn’t agree to stop seeing each other.”

“Hero, we can’t keep doing...” Villain breaks the charade, finally meeting their gaze. Hero doesn’t move, meeting their eyes with determination, “...what we did.”

“Why?” Hero’s voice is calm as they speak, yet they shrink when their nemesis remains silent. They know they are done for and that this idiot is to blame for that. Hero only needs to convey that much to them. “I thought you wanted it as much as I did.”

Villain cannot handle the dejected expression on their face. “I did.” I do. God, I do. They want to say it, and they almost do but stop a second too soon. “God, I... this is insanity!“

“No, it’s not.” Something about the way they speak encourages Hero. They move forward and slide their hands up Villain’s thighs, spreading their legs to stand between them. 

Hero is too close for Villain’s brain to function. Yet they make no attempts to distance themselves. “What are you doing?”

“This place always makes me think of you.“ The statement catches Villain by surprise. They are speechless for a good moment, staring at their ex-nemesis in wide-eyed wonder. “Or the things I wanted to do to you here.”

“W-what?” Villain’s breath hitches in their throat. They swallow. Hero’s eyes are locked on their neck as they pull their shirt to the side.

“You were always so quiet, sitting here with your books and those glasses you wore,” Hero’s lips meet their collarbone, feather-light and short as if testing the waters. They pause, lips parted in deep breaths, waiting for a reaction.

“Shit, Hero,” Villain can’t exactly articulate anything at this point. They grab the sides of Hero’s face and lean down, kissing them intense and deep. 

Hero lets out a low growl, pulling them closer by the waist. “Let’s see if you can stay quiet now.”

“Fuck it, Hero, the library...” A part of Villain’s conscious mind attempts to reason. But, as another kiss is placed on their collarbone, they find themselves unable to form coherent sentences. “Oh god... It’s... about... to open.”

“You think I care?” Hero whispers into the skin below their ear, then presses a kiss against their pulse. Shit.

“Bad Hero.” Villain’s words contrast the way their arms wrap around Hero’s shoulders, drawing them closer.

“For fuck’s sake, I’m not a dog,” Hero chuckles as their eyes fall shut when Villain’s hands run through their hair. They take a deep breath to steady their mind and add with a crooked smile. “Although I do know how to bite.” 

Villain hisses when Hero actually bites their jaw, then proceeds to kiss apologies into their skin. They lean back to look into Villain’s eyes, who finds it increasingly more difficult to focus on anything that doesn’t involve their nemesis on their bed. “You’re sweet, you know that?” 

“Fuck, stop with the teasing, will you?” Their impatience earns a satisfied grin from Hero. Smug bastard. 

“Mhm,” they look up with such longing that Villain’s head starts spinning. They know they are about to lose it, but what Hero says next is what sends them. “Tell me what you want then.”

With a shaky exhale, they clutch Hero’s collar and crush their lips in a starved kiss. “You. Fuck. You. I want you.” The heated whisper makes Hero’s knees buckle. 

They are wrapped in each others arms and panting heavily when the doors swing open, letting the librarians in. Villain’s entire body goes rigid in panic when Hero peels off of them. They struggle to fix their clothes, then escape through the window when someone rounds the corner. 

“Now that’s an adrenaline rush!” Hero exclaims in agitated excitement when they land in the safety of the roof.

“You are sick, you know that?” Villain exhales, still processing the implications and possibilities of getting caught. “Fucking bonkers!”

Hero laughs at that, dropping their head back and enjoying the blush creeping up Villain’s neck and cheeks. “You love it. Admit it already.” 

“You wish,” Villain retorts, leaning against the chimney for support. Their legs are weak from stress and arousal, but they won’t admit the second one in a lifetime.

“That I do,” Hero confesses with a sly smile, their lips swollen from making out. “Wanna know what else I’m gonna do?”

“If you say me, I’ll punch you,” Villain almost snarls, trying their best to look displeased. The warning earns a chuckle from Hero. 

They shake their head at how worked up Villain still is. “That too, but I meant taking you out to dinner.”

Villain’s eyes narrow in suspicion. They watch Hero approach them step by step. “No adrenaline this time?” 

“None if you wish so.” Villain knows for a fact Hero is lying. They can’t be over the fact that Villain called their confrontations boring. Hero’s eyes sparkle dangerously as they take the last step. They are going to give Villain a dinner to remember. “But that can wait.”  

They press their body flush against Villain’s, nailing them up against the chimney on top of the public library. “I’m not done with you just yet. I doubt I’ll ever be.” 

The claim earns a soft moan from Villain’s lips, but before they can process what that promise entails, Hero kisses them again.

Part 1

Masterlist

Tags: @aflyingsheepnamedrose @thatneptune

As promised :) I hope you like it!

[harbingersecho]

grif: locus you're not, you're not blushing right you wouldnt.. u oudnt not, sarge?

locus:

grif: please pleas eno

[carlpalmer]

never in my life would i have thought i'd see any king crimson members live but GUESS WHO bought tickets to see beat!!!!

[magenta-somethings]

my friend has gotten me into f1 enough that my brain is trying to combine it with dc comics. anyway, i'm conflicted over whether in a dc f1 au it would be normalised for f1 drivers to be 'anonymous' ala the stig from top gear (to preserve the dc element of secret identities) (with the justification that in this universe became even more focused on the car rather than the driver) or if its more true to real life and the secret identities thing just needs to be thrown out. i do know one of the teams would be wayne industries & ppl would accuse bruce of being a nepo baby except he's just. too fucking good. only team owner to also be a driver. and the robins would be the second drivers of the team, and at some point dick would leave to join another team so he could be a first driver and there would be. so much drama. jason retires early after being seriously injured in a crash only to return years later & join another team & be an absolute menace. also a lot of drama about bruce adopting his second drivers probably (reverse nepo babyism???). i have some non-batfamily thoughts floating around as well but this is the nepo baby sport. this was built for the batfamily

[tekitothemagpie]

I'm playing a mha game rn (MHA:TSH) and I have to fight All Might as Izuku. I'm pretty strong as him but like. How did AFO put up with this? I've been fighting and losing for 5 irl days. He is impossible, I'm close but I've never had to play ANYTHING for this long.

And it's not even accurate, the all might is an npc, just imagining the real deal horrifies me. AND he was fighting with that injury for what 6 years????

Super fucking scary.