#yeah the religion allegory was probably too strong but I was having fun ssldkfjdslkj

[starry-night-author]

Take Me to Church

My submission for @thepenultimateword's Song-Story Writing Challenge Extravaganza! I got @save-the-villainous-cat's submitted song, 'Take Me to Church' by Hozier!

Villain would always say that they were annoyed beyond all reason that they’d wound up in a forbidden romantic relationship. Not because they had to hide it- but because of course they would fall into the most overused trope of all time. 

“My very life is the same annoying cliche story that’s been told throughout history,” they’d grumble. “All for loving you.” 

Hero would barely pay attention to their forbidden partner’s complaining, only noticing that Villain had admitted to loving them. Their stern, grumpy, difficult to read, gorgeous, funny, wonderful Villain loved them.

So they let Villain complain, if only to hear those words again. 

That was part of what made it worth it. Knowing Villain loved them, was in this for them, made it easy for Hero to face every horrible thing about a forbidden relationship. The running out of alibis for where they’d been when they’d really been seeing Villain. The juggling they needed for their schedule to find time to spend with their beloved in the first place. The secrets, the hiding, the lying, the inability to talk about their love life with their fellow heroes because if anyone found out about this they were both dead. 

It was all so unfair, and being around anyone at the agency made it harder. With every passing day, it was harder and harder to go back to them.

There were always constant reminders there of just how wrong Hero’s relationship was with Villain. There was always talk of how nasty all villains were, how vile, how horrible. The rhetoric drilled into all of their minds that spilled easily from their throats without thinking. Without considering that it truly hurt Hero to hear it. Made them sad, made them angry. How dare they talk about Villian that way. Hero’s Villain wasn’t like that, if only they knew!

But again, Villain always made it worth it. It was worth it just to see them. Their smile, their movements, their stunning eyes, their gorgeous hair. It was worth it just to feel them- their touch, their hands surprisingly soft without their rough gloves, their warm skin, their arms around Hero. And their voice, the way they grumbled, the way they spoke softly when it was just the two of them alone, the way they laughed. 

Hero couldn’t get enough of it. If they were going to be hated for liking a villain, for this worship of a false, fallen idol, then so be it. Nothing would be able to tear them away from their love. 

It was the nights when Hero’s hurt, their anger, their guilt got the strongest. With or without Villain, it always crept up on them. 

But Villain always made it better. They would’ve drowned in it if not for Villain. Lying next to them in the dark, awake long after they’d gone to sleep. Watching their lover’s relaxed face, their body rising and falling from their gentle breathing. The way the moon outside outlined their features in a gorgeous silver, a halo lit behind their head.

They were irresistible. 

Hero could never stop themself from reaching out to touch them, ghosting their fingers down their skin, sometimes leaning in to kiss their forehead. Moving close enough to feel Villain’s exhales against their neck, their warm body pressed close to Hero’s. There was always the need to touch them, to feel them close, to know they were here and they were safe. They were loved. 

Tonight, Villain stirred. Shifting partly onto their back, adjusting the blanket. Accidentally revealing more of their stunning figure Hero could gaze at for hours. “Hm?” 

“You’re pretty,” Hero breathed into the room. 

“Y’woke me up jus’ta tell me that?” Villain’s brows furrowed, though their eyes stayed closed. Their voice was thick with sleep, their words sliding together. 

“I didn’t mean to wake you,” Hero moved close once more, tucking their face into Villain’s neck. “I’m sorry.” 

“Y’should be,” despite their annoyed words, Villain’s hand came up to gently hold the side of Hero’s face. Hero turned their head, kissing their palm. “What time is it?” 

“I’m not sure,” Hero murmured. “Late.” 

“You’re still up?” “Couldn’t sleep.” 

The hand on Hero’s face gently patted their cheek. “You okay?” 

“Yes,” Hero wrapped their arms around them. “I don’t want tomorrow to come. I don’t want to go back to the heroes, where they’re just going to keep telling me how wrong it is that I want to stay here with you forever.” 

Villain turned their head, kissing Hero’s forehead. “If this is so wrong,” Hero could feel their lips against their forehead as they spoke, “then why does it feel so right?” 

“That’s what I want to tell them.” Hero hugged them tighter. “But they’ll never listen. They’ll never change. They’ll throw me out.” 

“Hmm,” Villain’s hum was sympathetic, yet sleepy. Hero knew they were barely awake. They felt the criminal swallow, felt their head sag further against Hero’s, their soft breathing slow. Already back to sleep. 

Hero lifted their head, kissing Villain’s forehead. “G’night, love.” 

If only Hero could find it so easy. They pulled away, only to gaze at them once more. Admiring. Idolizing. Worshiping. 

God, they were everything to Hero. Hero knew they would go back tomorrow, they would face the agency. All to be safe enough to go another day seeing Villain again, without the agency getting suspicious. It was better this way. The safest place to swim was right beneath the shark. 

Closing their eyes, Hero took a deep breath, then opened them again, not wanting to look away from Villain for a moment. Memorizing their features in the darkness, the way the moonlight spilled over their face, their hair, their neck, their shoulders. Taking a mental snapshot, never wanting to let the image go. 

They let themself truly sink into the feeling of being with Villain, holding them close and taking another deep breath. They could have this, just for now. Tomorrow would be hard and the days after would get worse, but right now it was alright. 

With Villain, they were okay.

That assurance was enough to let them finally sleep.