The Overly Complicated Life of a (Self-Proclaimed) Villain

Chapter 10

Elliot

After dinner finished and all the dishes were cleaned, Bleddyn sat on the couch while I paced the floor taking notes. We had both decided over dinner that we would remain awake until the switch occurred so I could take notes on everything leading up to it and away from it.

We had pulled plenty of all-nighters in the past, but this one would probably be harder to pull off since we were just killing time.

"Stop pacing, it's giving me anxiety." Bleddyn shifted his position and picked up a book that was laying on the coffee table. "And I have enough anxiety already with midterms being this week."

"Oh right," I smacked myself internally, "I keep forgetting those exist."

School seemed like a lifetime ago: homework, classes, drama, I'm glad it's over for me. I was 29 and now I lived like a seemingly normal adult.

"So, I know you spend a majority of your time planning on ways to defeat me, but I was always curious about what you actually do for a living." Bleddyn's eyes raised up from the book and locked on my faltered figure.

"I am one of the head scientists for a research lab at the University," I say, pride twinkling in my irises, "I'm actually quite surprised we never ran into each other."

Bleddyn seemed to take in a breath and then began to laugh, "You mean to tell me that we could have figured out who each other were a year ago?"

A smile graced my lips as I joined in the laugher, "I assume we could have, yes."

"What do you do in your lab?"

"That is classified."

"So your working for the government?"

"It's classified."

Bleddyn laughed as I shot him a playful glare: "I didn't know supervillains could work for the government."

"I never said I worked for the government, I just said it was classified."

I meandered my way towards the couch and flopped down next to the man, staring into his overly-interested eyes.

"You're overly complicated, you know that right?" He grinned and bumped his shoulder against mine, a playful jab.

"I guess that is one way to put it, yes." I gave a soft chuckle and caught myself looking at the other's face as he surfed through the channels on the television, stopping at the news covering the story of our last battle.

It was nearing ten o'clock and we still had a few hours to go, every once and a while I would ask questions on how the other was feeling or if he felt anything abnormal.

The night was definitely odd.

After what seemed like ages of silence, I worked up the nerve to just finally ask him: "Do you like me or is this one of those 'I'm reading too much into this' things?"

My brain was buzzing fast with potential answers. It's not like we started as enemies, became friends, then crushes, and finally a couple. Nope, it seemed we just skipped to the making out in Bleddyn's apartment one night after the revealing of our secret identities.

I doubt that is healthy.

And that is why, immediately afterward, I said, "Wait, nevermind, that was stupid."

I had forgotten none of this 24-hour period would be in my memories after the switch back. I had forgotten that part of my plan including erasing the memory of being in each others' bodies. I had forgotten that I was supposed to write down all the information I needed so that Erebus would not know who I was. I had forgotten my safety net-- briefly.

Bleddyn

"How is that a stupid question?" I ask looking at the older man sitting next to me.

"Listen, it's just that we kind of skipped like a few stages of this whole thing. We went from enemies to making out on your couch."

I was befuddled, did this man not realize I have been pining over him for a year and finally, finally, this was happening? "So, what are you saying?"

"I just think that we should try back-tracking a little bit, get to know each other a little better, and then see if we want this to really happen."

But I know I want this, and I can see you want it too. You are all I've wanted since I laid my eyes on you that first fight, I didn't know it at the time, but you are all I have ever wanted in my life.

I wanted to say that, more than anything in the world; I wanted to kiss him and show him that I would love him no matter what; I wanted to prove we didn't need to be friends first or have to wait, that we could just fall; but I also wanted him to be happy, and if this is what he wants, I would do anything for him.

So I swallowed what little bit of hope I had for immediate-gratification and nodded my head: "Yeah, I guess you're right, I'm really sorry, I guess I've forgotten that we should probably get to know each other better before anything else can happen."

I refused to meet Elliot's gaze. I had done this, I had made this awkward.

At least he's talking to me.

"Hey listen," he began, lifting my chin to meet his eyes, "how about we don't start over until after the switch happens?"

My face grew bright red as my eyes drifted to the clock above my television, the face showed that it was nearing eleven.

Elliot was so adamant about getting to know each other earlier before we went any further but just like that, he had changed his mind, for now, at least.

Should I be suspicious? He is a supervillain.

But then I realized, I didn't care.

I might only have a little over an hour to be with the man I had been pining over since becoming Erebus, and I was going to use that time wisely.

Elliot

I can't believe I had forgotten about the safety net I had programmed into the body swap. Neither of us would remember today.

In actuality, I had remembered right after I had expressed my concerns about moving too fast, the opposite of how I have been acting the whole night.

There was just something about Bleddyn that made me want to take my time to get to know him, if only not to hurt him.

But then I remembered my safety net.

"Hey listen, how about we don't start over until after the switch happens?"

Neither of us will remember after all.

So I wasn't surprised when I saw a small smile graze his face, and, soon after, felt the delicate lips on mine.

I only kissed him back, savoring what might be our last kiss.

His body leaned into mine as I nearly devoured the younger male. His hands sent shivers up my spine as he stroked the small of my back, ice on fire.

This man would be the end of me, whether I knew it or not.

Each tendril touch, each elated gasp, each whispered nothings sent me headfirst into bliss.

We didn't hear the clock ding midnight.