Chapter Text
Wilbur felt the most at home in the open skies above the city, soaring and dipping through the clouds without a care in the world. He should've been patrolling, but it had been so long since he had simply let go like this, letting the winds carry his wings wherever they damn well please.
His instincts were usually dormant, but it was clear nights like these where the moon was out did his inner magpie quietly desire for a peaceful flight. It oh so adored flying during nights like these, where the air was crisp with the bite of winter. High above the skyscrapers and other buildings in the city.
Phil would probably crucify him if he found out that this is what Wilbur did on some of these night patrols when he was supposed to be working. His father was never found of trusting his instincts with anything and he taught that behavior to his children. But it was on relatively quiet nights where crime was low did Wilbur feel safe and free enough to allow his inner magpie a little bit of freedom.
He could hear happy twitters and purrs in the back of his mind as he let instinct guide his wings through the winds, twisting and looping until he couldn't tell which way was up and which way was down. It didn't matter, really. The sounds of the city where distant, quiet ambiance for his night flight. There were a few droplets on his wings from when he dove through some clouds earlier, but he barely noticed their icy chill.
He felt at peace, the most relaxed he had been in a long time.
Up here, where no one could see him? He didn't have to worry about being a hero, he didn't have to worry about making Tommy concerned, he didn't have to worry about Techno being better than him, he didn't have to worry about proving himself, and he didn't have to worry about any fucking villains or emergencies. It was pure, instinct driven flight. His magpie indulging in the freedom of the moment to do silly little stunts and twisting movements that it otherwise couldn't do. He would fly up, and let himself fall, he would swoop down above the city before pulling back up, he would do loops in the air with a trill just under the surface.
Open clear air filled his lungs, a song in his ears thanks to the constant chirping of his magpie. The bird loved to sing whenever he did this, some nights he wanted to copy the singing of his instincts. But he didn't, a lingering anxiety that someone would hear him if he does.
The city was beautiful at night, Wilbur thinks. With shining lights and beautiful colors of all kinds. During the day it was the same metallic boring bullshit. But at night? There were neons, bright flashing colors, every shade and tint you could imagine. It glittered like multicolored dots on the edges of his vision whenever he dipped below cloud level to see it. Golden yellows, hot pinks, deep purples, shining blues, bold reds, and so many other colors.
And when he turned up, looking at the sky, there was the ever comforting silver moon. The night sky a beautiful dark void-like black with little traces of blue here and there. Perhaps the sky was always blue and it just looked like black at night. A shade so deep blue that it looked like black unless you squinted. Wilbur would like that, he likes silver and blue color schemes. It matches his wings.
Moonlight greeted him warmly, casting his wings in a light that made them look like the vibrant beautiful shades they were supposed to be. The water droplets reflecting the glow like crystals, as if he had weaved gemstones into his wings.
The inner bird doesn't like the idea of shiny things, it didn't like looking at the city or the droplets in his wings. But Wilbur did. He loved the image of gemstones in his wings, hopefully drawing attention away from how the shade of blue should be much more vibrantly colored. The city was beautiful at night, cast in the glow of the moon with its ever expanding array of colors.
Sometimes, during nights like these, he liked flying around District 12. District 12 was fucking gorgeous at night.
He had to be careful whenever he went over there, since it was very far out of his patrol range and it'd be suspicious if someone saw him outside of his usual territory, but the Nightlife District was always so alive when night rolled around.
The air itself around that district felt warm, energy alive with every breath he took around there.
Instead of flying to the sounds of the city, he could fly to music. Bouncy and humming in the air on a constant loop of upbeat melodies. Wilbur liked swing, he had decided a while ago. And gods forbid, there were shining spotlights and bright colors everywhere in that district. Neon signs for the clubs, spotlights drawing attention to big attractions, and of course everything about the casinos.
The casinos looked like they had been dipped in gold and outfitted with gemstones like some intricate statue. Whoever ran them must be very extravigant, but clearly they knew what they were doing. Wilbur had watched hundreds of people being drawn in by the glitz and glamor of the damn places before. Hell, during his really rough nights he'd been tempted to wander in a few times himself.
But he wasn't heading in that direction, not tonight. He had his suspicions that Ace might be based over there and he didn't want to chance running into the villain while he was partially instinctive. He has no doubt that the villain would probably use him being distracted and off guard against him.
So, he tried to be consciously aware of where he was. Not allowing himself to be drawn to shining lights and gilded traps.
Tonight was for him. To pacify restless instincts because gods only know that if they act up around Phil...
Wilbur shook his head and continued enjoying his flight. The cool night air, the hidden colors that came with the moon's soft glow.
The magpie avian dipped to burst through another cloud, flying up and up until he let himself free fall, his wings glittering with the silver rays of the moon as water was knocked off as he fell. He had been smiling like a dumbass for a while now, feeling a soft amount of adrenaline rushing through him because of the free fall. Even if he had wings the rush was amazing. His pupils getting just the smallest bit wider judging by how his magpie trilled.
He wishes he could fly like this more often. With no kind of urgency or rigidness to his movements. Nowhere to be, nowhere to go, just him and the sky. He didn't have to fight his instincts, he didn't even have to ignore them. There was no stress, no nothing.
Just him.
Himself.
Everything that he was and none of the burdens he carried.
He flared his wings open, letting an updraft carry him back up further into the sky. He sighed out, relieved. Nights like these allowed from him to distress and fuck if he didn't need this recently.
"Breathtaking," an annoying familiar voice breathed.
Wilbur jolted, snapping back into his usual flying and turning his head to see that damn fucking tail coat and that stupidly familiar black mask.
Ace was staring at him with something...unreadable in that visible brown eye, seeming about as startled as the magpie avian felt.
"Oops," the villain muttered, shooting him something of a half grin. "Hi songbird. I'm not interrupting anything, right?"
"How long," the taller breathed, feeling the way his words trembled. "How long have you been watching me?"
It was anxiety. Sudden rushing anxiety and paranoia smacked him over the head all at once like a war hammer. How long had his nemesis been watching, how long was the other avian there? How much did he see?
Nobody had ever seen him fly instinctive, his magpie whining out at being interrupted as he shoved the bird away as quickly as possible.
"Uh," Ace trailed off, seeming to shake out of whatever stun he had been in. "Only a few minutes? I was looking for you but you weren't in your usual places. I was about to go home when I spotted you flying up here and decided to see what's going on."
The hero's gaze narrowed, smoothing his expression over into a small snarl.
Well fine, it was like the bastard was asking to get caught at this point.
"I think this is where I should head out," the villain chuckled, snapping his wings closed and giving him a mock salute.
The shorter began to plunge, quickly disappearing under the clouds.
"GET BACK HERE YOU LITTLE SHIT!" Wilbur all but screeched as he gave chase, snapping his wings closed into a dive to swoop after the other avian.
The magpie avian kept his eyes firmly trained on the black tail coat Ace always wore, the white and grey of the other's wings being enough to make sure the villain didn't just disappear out of his line of sight.
He was right on his nemesis's tail, the city coming into sharp focus around them as the shorter landed on a roof, quickly darting away the second Wilbur landed behind him.
Ace laughed as he launched himself over to another roof, starting to run.
Damnit, bastard was smart enough to get out of the air.
He shouted in frustration, using his wings to shoot across the alley and give chase, never letting the other avian's tail coat to leave his vision for even a second. He lunged for the villain while they were on a roof, the shorter twisting himself out of the way in a move that was disturbingly elegant.
"C'mon songbird!" His nemesis called, spinning away from another attempt made to grab him. "I know you can be faster than that!"
The magpie avian snarled, flapping his wings to throw himself at the villain, "Get back here!"
The avian just laughed, wings fluffing out as he dodged away and kept running. Ace was slippery, he noted in the back of his mind, not letting up in his pursuit. He was going to catch this damn villain one way or the other.
His nemesis was fast, Wilbur realized. Surprisingly fast and weirdly elegant as he dodged.
The taller's gaze was firmly locked on the other when Ace jumped to grab the ledge of a higher building then the one they were on, pulling himself up with one hand into a flip before standing there and fucking waiting. Smirking down at the hero with a challenge in his visible eye.
Come and get me.
Wilbur grit his teeth and used his wings to shoot himself up, trying to tackle the villain only for the shorter to roll away with a cackle. The magpie avian moved to the side, keeping himself low to the ground before trying to pounce at the bastard, hearing his magpie faintly clicking its beak in the back of his mind.
Hunt?
He shook his head, running after his nemesis as the avian bolted over to the next roof.
The hero felt his wing brush with Ace's when he passed this time, talons flexing as he tried to grab his nemesis. The villain's smirk never faded, deflecting his grab and twisting behind the magpie avian to keep running.
Wilbur refused to let Ace get away, continuing to chase.
But...something clicked from him in his mind.
Ace almost looked like he was dancing whenever he dodged. With those sliding movements, flips, and overall smooth way he kept twisting and turning, it led to the conclusion that the villain was having fun with this. Treating it like some kind of performance almost. With the hero as his dance partner.
And the comparison came more sharply in Wilbur's mind when he managed to twist in a way to prevent his nemesis from immediately darting again. The villain grinned something borderline delighted, seeming to step in time with a beat that the magpie avian couldn't hear.
His nemesis seemed to be dancing to the echoing sound of war drums, strong, powerful, and setting the tempo. His movements were firm, the backbone of a melody. You can't have a song without your beat, and that's why Ace was running circles around him now.
He was controlling the flow of battle, the tempo.
Wilbur felt a grin slip onto his face without realizing.
Fine, two can play at that game.
One.
The magpie avian launched for Ace, the villain dodging away as always.
Two.
Before the other could run, Wilbur blocked his path.
Three.
The avian tried to side step, and the hero blocked with his wing, twisting into a spin to flare the feathers out to keep the other trapped.
Ace stumbled a bit before recovering, dropping down and sliding under the taller's wing.
One.
Wilbur jumped to the next roof, purposefully launching at the villain's side instead of directly at him.
Two.
He did it again, using his wings to lightly push the avian into a stumble as he passed.
Three.
Ace tried to jump away, but the hero kept pace with him, staying right there with him no matter where he went.
A fast paced waltz to disrupt the shorter's steady war drums.
His nemesis was still clearly having a blast with this, but it seems Wilbur did enough damage to the other's tempo to disrupt him.
When Ace launched over for the next roof, his footing slipped just slightly.
The hero quickly rushed past the shorter, his instinct acting up upon seeing that the other was going to fall. Distantly, he knew that the avian was, well, an avian. He would've been fine if he did fall.
But call it the rescue hero in him.
He grabbed the other's wrist, preventing his nemesis from tumbling over the edge of the building as exhaustion hit him. That was a surprisingly taxing chase, causing the hero's breaths to come up as small little sighs.
Ace was catching his breath as well, wrist still firmly held in the taller's hand.
Wilbur's grip automatically adjusted to be strong but not bruising, being mindful of his talons even if they were under his falconer's gloves.
"Careful," he hissed, word automatic as it is with everyone he's caught before they've fallen.
"I have wings, I would've been fine," his nemesis chuckled, flaring his wings out slightly as the feathers ruffled. "Though thanks for catching me songbird. How kind of you."
It wasn't kind, it was just his job. He saved people. That's what he did. That's what he was trained for.
The hero kept trying to catch his breath, able to feel the way his face had flushed up from all that running. He carefully pulled the villain away from the edge of the roof. But as he did so, the avian stumbled, tripping over himself as he was guided away from the edge of the roof.
The taller's wing flared out instinctively, quickly grabbing the other's shoulders to hold him up as the wing settled ever so slightly around the shorter.
"Fucking hell, what did you do?" The magpie avian questioned, unable to squash the concern leaking into his tone.
Fuck, did he do that? Was that his fault? Please don't tell him that he caused that. He'd feel fucking bad if disrupting the other's tempo like that caused this.
Ace scanned his face, looking for something. That brown eye was...intense, Wilbur realized. But eventually the villain's gaze softened slightly, shaking his head with a grin.
"Oh, yeah no. I'm alright," he dismissed. "Probably just the adrenaline. Fucking hell, you're fast, y'know that?"
Wilbur didn't believe that, searching his nemesis for any visible injuries or signs of shock. Anything really. He didn't want to seem too concerned, but he couldn't help it, really. That was the first time he's ever tried disrupting someone's battle tempo. So he was worried. Sue him.
"You're sure?" The taller eventually settled on asking, his grip on the other's shoulders not wavering.
"God, you heroes worry too much," the avian rolled his eye, gaze seeming to lock on the other's hands. "Y'know, if you wanted to dance, songbird, you could've just asked."
"What-"
The hero felt his heart start to pound as the shorter grabbed one of his hands and pulled him into a twirl. Confusion must have shown on his face based on how the villain began to laugh.
"Live a little!" Ace chuckled, a barely noticeable tint of pink on the visible side of his face.
Wilbur...Wilbur couldn't wrap his head around this.
He didn't understand why his heart was pounding, why his face felt hotter, why his wings were ruffling at the sound of the villain's laugh.
He liked to think he understood villains, despite being a rescue hero. He had taken classes on the psychology of villains, how they like to think. He had worked with the police on solving multiple murders. He had been a hero for seven fucking years now. He had dealt with plenty of villains, even if none of them were really big names unless he was on a mission with Techno.
But...he couldn't, for the life of him, figure out what was going on in Ace's head.
His nemesis was just...so fucking strange.
Here was a man who had nearly blown up districts in the city. Here was a man who threatened the higher ups damn nearly every week. Here was a man who Phil complained about constantly because of his TNT traps and tricks.
Ace was a mass murdering terrorist who didn't hesitate to hurt innocent people.
And yet...he was currently holding Wilbur's hand in a firm yet gentle grip.
He was smiling at him, something almost shy in the grin. The villain was leading him in a dance, almost matching the tempo the taller had set earlier to disrupt the other's movements. A firm but steady waltz set to the beat of war drums instead of violins.
It felt oddly like his earlier flight, even when he felt the avian's other hand settling on his waist.
Wilbur wish he could say that he didn't squeak when it happened, a gentle pressure being applied as they spun around the roof they were on. City lights bathing his nemesis in an array of colors that reflected beautifully on the visible side of the other's face. It made the usually intimidating black half mask shine in a way that instead of making him feel dread or fear...made him feel curious.
His grip on Ace's shoulder...relaxed.
And he let the shorter sway him around the roof, letting the other lead in a face paced waltz with an occasional unpredicted twist or twirl. It felt a lot like how storm flight worked for him, letting his instincts and the winds guide him.
But this time...he let his nemesis guide him. Steady yet floaty, firm but unpredictable.
Suddenly, the villain twirled him around his hand slipping off of Wilbur's waist as they pulled apart dramatically, the magpie avian's wings flaring out to try and steady his balance as he let out a surprised noise at the action.
Ace was smiling, a quiet chuckle ringing in the magpie avian's ears as they twirled like that. Something excited with a curious look in his visible eye. But the grin is what captured the hero's attention. That charming little smile that made his heart pound even worse now. And the quiet chuckle didn't make it any better, the shorter had a smooth chuckle that sounded like music to the other's ears.
A cold gust of winter air swept across the roof, catching the taller's wings and throwing him up into the air. Wilbur yelped in surprise, grabbing the villain's other hand as his nemesis kept spinning him around. Ace was laughing at his yelp, the sound ringing with a soft melody like how most songbird's does.
But the villain didn't let him go, keeping him anchored as the winds playfully picked him up.
Wilbur couldn't stop himself, starting to laugh as well. He really couldn't help it, he always found other people's laughter fucking contagious as hell and Ace had a very contagious laugh.
He eventually landed, not even noticing the stunned expression that had crossed his nemesis's face. He pulled the other back into their dance, trying to smother his laughter as his wings ruffled happily.
The magpie avian decided he was going to lead this time, slipping his hand to the shorter's waist as his other one held one of the avian's. He lead the tempo, the waltz beat echoing in the back of his mind as he stepped smoothly with the villain.
When they twirled, he slipped his hand back up to hold Ace's other hand, part of him relishing in that connection. It felt nice as the spun around the roof top, hand in hand. Something dramatic and beautiful in the way their wings were both ruffled now. A pretty blush now burning on both of their faces.
Wilbur finally calmed down, a grin on his lips.
"Try not to do that as fast this time," the hero joked. "The wind certainly adores its dramatic timing."
Ace's blush rose slightly, stunned expression melting into a soft grin. There was some foreign fondness in the avian's visible eye now, the sparkling city lights catching on the other's wings in all the right ways.
"Yeah," his nemesis muttered. "I'll keep that in mind, songbird."
And suddenly, reality came back in to smack Wilbur over the head like a rolled up newspaper. He brought the twirl to a slow stop, part of him desperately wanting to keep going. But he pushed it down, knowing that, logically, he shouldn't be doing this.
Ace was a mass murdering terrorist. He...he can't be doing this. His heart shouldn't be racing. He shouldn't be blushing.
The hero's eyes dart to the hands that are currently holding his. He can feel the warmth of the other's hold through their gloves, despite how thick the falconer's gloves were. His grin fell pretty quickly as he slowly, reluctantly, released the villain's grip. Pulling his hands back to himself and holding them up to his chest in shock.
His eyes met Ace's before he dropped his gaze.
"I..." Wilbur slowly backed up, his wings ruffling. "I should... I should go."
"You don't have to," Ace blurted out, voice soft as he took a small step closer to the hero. "We could keep going..."
The suggestion made the magpie avian's head spin, searching the villain's expression for any hint of dishonesty or trickery. Anything to give him an excuse to leave. To stop making his heart race like this.
But there was nothing, the shorter slowly tilting his head as he offered a grin.
"Y'know something, hero? You're cute when you smile."
Wilbur's wings ruffled, the blush getting worse as his heart started trying to plot an escape plan. Ace stepped closer again, the magpie avian able to feel his breath hitch slightly at the action.
"And your laugh is beautiful," the avian added. "You seem like a really talented flier, too. Your wings look pretty in moonlight."
His nemesis stepped closer with each and every compliment, not letting the hero drop his gaze again. Eventually he came to stand directly in front of the taller, Wilbur completely frozen in place.
His logical half begged his feet to move. His wings to pull him away. Something, anything.
But he just couldn't. Completely ensnared by the look in the other's eyes.
Ace hummed, "Maybe you should relax for a bit. Stop worrying so much and take a step back. You don't have to leave so soon, the night is young, songbird."
Wilbur felt his breath leave all at once as the villain unfolded his wings in just the right way, raising them to perfectly catch the moonlight as he offered a hand out to the hero.
"Might I offer another dance?" His nemesis questioned, a challenge in his smirk as his visible eye kept the magpie avian pinned to the spot.
And it was then that Wilbur realized that Ace was gorgeous. Like, drop dead fucking beautiful.
The city's lights painted the villain in an array of colors that made the magpie avian feel dizzy. Beautiful blues and reds bathing the other's visible features in a lovely light that made the brown eye shine like a glittering gemstone. The grey and white of his nemesis's wings captured the moon's silver rays and glittered, each feather perfectly preened and shiny with health in a way that even the bird can appreciate from its dormant state.
The tail coat was extremely stylish, even Wilbur in his 'practicality over fashionable' mindset can recognize that. The button up under the tail coat hugging the avian's features in a very attractive way and furthering to support Ace's entire motif. It looked good. Ace looked good. With a sharp fang visible in his smirk and an unreadable type of hunger in his eye.
It was like Ace was looking directly through him. Past his costume, past his mask, past everything. Ace was looking at him. Wilbur, not Magpie.
But he knew that, he thinks. Knew that the villain saw him. Because he used his actual name, not Magpie.
And that outstretched hand, that invitation, made the hero pause.
Wilbur always believed that Persephone ate the pomegranate seeds willingly, but that doesn't mean he believes that Hades didn't have some part in it.
He supports the theory that Hades offered Persephone the pomegranate seeds. Gave her that choice. And that she chose him over the overworld because he treated her like her own person.
The hero wonders if this was his pomegranate seed. An offer that, if he took, he'd never be able to go back.
He could see it, envision it. Accepting Ace's little offer of another dance. Something so dreadfully simple.
Wilbur could imagine them continuing to twirl across the building, maybe getting up on the edge of the roof for a little bit of danger, even if they both had wings and would be fine. He could imagine brushing his wings with the villain's, feeling his nemesis pull him closer. He could see that teasing grin, a little bit of banter and more laughter like earlier.
The magpie avian imagined freedom. Letting those hands sway him, letting Ace make him forget who he was supposed to be for just a little bit longer. He wanted it, he recognized. He wanted to keep swaying and twirling with his nemesis.
He wanted to take Ace's hand and let the villain make him forget. He wanted to laugh like that again, enjoy the night.
Wilbur wondered if the shorter avian would try to dip him. If they'd trip over each other eventually and fall into a pile on the roof. He wondered if Ace would wrap his wing around him while they danced.
He thinks...he thinks that would be nice. Any of that, really.
The magpie avian felt his gaze flicker to the villain's lips.
The blush worsened as he looked away again.
That...might be nice.
Wilbur reached out just slightly, impulsive. He almost placed his hand in Ace's.
But his logic stopped him last second, causing him to flinch back and hesitate.
"I..." He muttered, eyes darting around the roof. "I can't."
"You can," Ace insisted, voice smooth and slipping right into the hero's ear directly to his brain. "It's just one more dance, songbird. You really don't have to leave so soon, I don't bite y'know."
The little tease at the end of his sentence made the magpie avian want to melt into a puddle on the ground.
Gods forbid, Wilbur was tempted. He wanted to take the other's hand so badly.
It was his pomegranate seed alright. If he gives Ace an inch, he has a feeling that the villain will take a mile.
He doubts he'll be able to leave if he accepts.
Dangerous, he knows this could potentially ruin him. Was the reward greater than the risk though? Would it really be all that bad if he just had one more small dance with the villain?
It's not...it's not like there's anyone to witness them. Maybe...it would be okay to just...relax. Loosen up a bit. Just for a little while. Not try to shove his instincts to the backmost corner of his mind.
Just for tonight.
"What was that, songbird?" Ace questioned.
Wilbur blushed harder, realizing he probably muttered that aloud.
"I..." The hero trailed off before slowly letting the tension bleed out of his shoulders. He let his wings relax from their semi-folded position, lowering his hands from his chest.
"... Just for tonight," he repeated, not looking at the other's eyes. "I want to... forget who I am... what I'm supposed to be. But only for a little while. I... want to keep going."
The magpie avian didn't think he could stop himself now, "But don't think you can take this too far. Do something I don't like and I will leave, try to spit some kind of villain propaganda at me and I'll leave. Just-"
"Nothing hero or villain related," the other avian agreed, surprising the taller. "That's a request I'm more than happy to fulfill, amor."
And just like that, Wilbur was gone, a massive blush roaring to life across his already red face.
Amor.
Love.
What the fuck.
The magpie avian didn't know how to process that. His nemesis just called him 'love'. What the-
Oh gods.
Ace chuckled, "You alright there?"
The hero wasn't even sure if he could speak without his voice having gone up a few octaves, able to feel the way his wings fluttered and puffed up.
So, instead of giving a proper response he carefully placed his hand in the other's outstretched one. Letting himself accept his nemesis's offer of another dance.
The shorter gave him a searching look before his little smirk turned into something much softer. Something that made him want to melt immediately on the spot.
"There we go," the villain essentially purred. "For tonight, my dearest nemesis, you just have to be yourself. None of that 'Minecraft' bullshit, none of that 'Magpie' persona. I want you. Is that alright? Think you can do that for me, Wilbur?"
The taller nodded, his heart racing out of control, "Y-yeah... yeah. I can do that."
"And if I start to overstep, you'll let me know, okay?" The other avian questioned. "I want us both to have fun, so let me know if I overstep. My instincts can get a bit... well... much sometimes. So if they start acting up, feel free to smack me. I won't be mad."
That managed to bait a laugh out of Wilbur, causing Ace to grin.
The magpie avian nodded, "Got it."
"Good... in that case-"
His nemesis reached up and stole the domino mask right off of the taller's face, causing him to squawk a slight bit.
"You won't be needing this for tonight," the other avian laughed with a smug little expression and mischief in his eye.
The hero huffed, "You're lucky I don't have an identity to protect or that would not have gone over well for you."
The shorter tucked the other's mask away, pulling him back into the same steps from earlier. It felt like his heart got jumpstarted with how hard it started beating once their dance began. But soon he melted back into easy swaying and familiar twirls.
Wilbur had never gotten to dance much in his life, but he knew basics, and he knew music. And letting Ace lead was as simple as surrendering his control to the winds whenever he's storm flying. It was just instinct at that point, following the music in his head and the pace they had set earlier. A little bit of calm, but a dash of unpredicted swings and moves. It was interesting as it was relaxing.
He fell into it, headfirst and yet still landing graceful. He had dived in without considering all the risks, before his paranoia could get to him. Because there was a small part of him that wanted something new. Wanted to experience something he never had before.
And he'd claim that dancing with a top rank villain was certainly on that list of things he's never done before.
The hero was hooked on how the other avian moved, the fluid and playful way the shorter would twirl with teasing grins and mischief glimmering in his eye, the little burst of adrenaline he'd get when the other did something unexpected.
And then his nemesis decided to flap his wings and lift into the air with a laugh as they pulled into another more wild twirl, and the taller answered with his own laugh as he launched into the air briefly as well. They landed back on the roof not a second later, still moving, hitting the ground running so to speak as they both launched into a series of unpredictable off beat movements. Damn near chasing each other across the roof as one would tug the other in one direction before twirling and changing to a different directly.
The villain would let go and they'd separate briefly before one would run back to the other and let himself be caught and pulled back into the familiar twirls and steps. The magpie avian was so sure that he was going to be dizzy from all this spinning and running, the twirls and large sways that caused them to add a bit of dramatic flourish to their movements.
Wilbur damn near melted when he felt the other's wings brush with his own as they danced, a small, comforting little gesture. But so achingly affectionate. And that one small moment led into others, a certain softness appearing in Ace's eye as his sharp grin fell into something fond.
The magpie avian found himself chuckling a little the more their wings brushed, the dance slowing into soft sways again. But...there was something more.
Something that seemed to pull them a bit closer, something that made their wings lazily wrap around each other instead of shy brushes. Something that brought their faces just a tad bit closer.
It was easy to lose himself to the villain's will, still continuing to let his nemesis pull him across the roof and sway him. Easy to get lost in the touch of wings against his, the feel of someone's hands through their gloves, in the gentle swaying that now made up their dance.
He felt himself slipping when the other avian's arms slipped around his shoulders. Magpie was gone when he slid his hands to the shorter's waist.
And it was Wilbur who let the tension bleed out of his shoulders when he lightly tapped his forehead against the other's. And it was Ace who purred back at him as the dance came to a close.
It wasn't long, but for him it felt like a soft eternity of warmth. Yet an eternity that lasted way too short.
He didn't jerk back into his hero self, he didn't try to pull away. The hero allowed himself a moment to just...relax. Regardless of who was holding him, it was someone. Someone who was looking at him and seeing who he is rather than who he's supposed to be.
It was warmth, sharing his breath with someone who was supposed to be his enemy.
And yet even when he acknowledged that Ace was his nemesis, a villain, he couldn't bring himself to pull away, opening his eyes and finding that same brown iris staring at him.
"I'm surprised you haven't tried to run yet," the villain teased.
Wilbur just...stared, blinking a few times before an almost disbelieving grin crossed his face, "I don't think I've been this relaxed in ages."
"It shows," the shorter rolled his eye. "You're cute when you're relaxed, by the way."
The magpie avian couldn't help himself, feeling something giddy rise in his throat. The laugh came out as a soft giggle, the blush on his face worsening.
"... Oh my god that was adorable," Ace blinked, surprised.
"Shut," the hero shot back, trying to fight off more of the little laughs. "Shut up. No. Stop it. Stop looking at me like that."
"Like what?" The other avian asked, the fond look in his eye tripling. "Like you're the most precious thing I've wanted to steal all night?"
"Like-like you just have this... fond or something look and I just-I can't handle it. Stop it," the taller's heart was pounding, he could feel it beating away in his chest at that same rhythm.
His nemesis began to smile, "Well of course I'm going to look fond. I've got a pretty boy in my arms who's blushing and giggling."
Wilbur's wings fluffed up, not able to squash a small, embarrassed whine, "Stooop. I've got a reputation I need to uphold here!"
"What reputation, I don't see any reputation here," the villain teased. "Just a pretty songbird with a cute smile on his face."
Gods it felt wrong but oh so right.
Damn him, he wanted to fall into the shorter's arms at this point.
He knew who he was supposed to be. A member of the Minecraft family. Magpie, a hero part of a long legacy of heroes.
But here?
He didn't feel like any of that. He felt like himself.
Like he didn't have to be part of that legacy.
"... Gods, what are you doing to me?" Wilbur questioned, able to hear his inner magpie chirping something incoherently.
He didn't even bother trying to shove it away.
"It's called flirting, amor. Because I think you're adorable and I want to call you out on being pretty," Ace responded. "Seriously, you're too pretty for your own good. Stop wearing that boring domino mask, it doesn't suit you at all."
"I need something to hide the eyebags."
"Counter argument: Fucking sleep."
Wilbur just laughed then, knowing that some fondness had slipped into his gaze as well.
"Can I do something dumb that I'm probably going to regret and my father would totally murder me for doing?" The taller questioned.
"Always," the villain chuckled. "Just do whatever you wa-"
The magpie avian pressed his lips against the shorter's, silencing him immediately. He heard his magpie start purring extremely loudly, feeling the noise echo from his own chest.
It was like a switch was flipped in his nemesis, the other avian beginning to kiss back and instantly trying to deepen the kiss. And the hero really didn't mind, tilting his head and allowing Ace to tangle a hand in the taller's hair.
Gods he always melted when someone played with his hair, more purrs starting to rumble as he pulled the other avian just the smallest bit closer.
He doesn't think the villain minded any.
It was...warm. The kind of warmth that turned your brain to mush and left you a melted puddle on the floor. An impulsive decision on the magpie avian's part but honestly he just couldn't bring himself to care.
Because he could feel Ace purring as well, heard the approving twitters of his magpie, and he indulged in a little glimmer of mischief as he stole his mask back from the other's belt along with a knife that was right next to it.
Wilbur pulled back with something of a smug grin, slipping his mask back on.
"I'll be taking this, thank you very much," he teased, slipping the stolen knife onto his belt. "And thanks for the lovely evening. But unfortunately I do have to go now."
And he took off before he could even register the look on the villain's face, knowing that if he stayed for a second longer he might never leave.
Unaware of the utter mess of a shrike avian he left behind.
...
"Foolish oh my fucking god he kissed me!"
"What? Who kissed you?"
"I-what the-hang on I'm still processing. Holy fuck. He kissed me, grabbed his mask and one of my knives, and just fucking flew off. Little shit. He's a fucking little shit. What the hell. Where did that come from???"
"Okay, Quackity, slow down. You're rambling. What happened? Who kissed you?"
"Wilbur! Magpie! My nemesis! For fucks sake he KISSED ME FOOLISH! Like not even half way or half assing it, he basically made out with me and then just RAN OFF."
"Simp."
"FOOLISH!"
"Okay but did you kiss back?"
"YES BECAUSE HE'S PRETTY AND HE'S ADORABLE AND I ACTUALLY GOT TO SEE BEYOND THAT DAMN PERSONA HE'S ALWAYS PUTTING UP AND JUST-"
"... What the fuck was that noise???"
"Shrike brain is freaking out, give me like, a solid minute."
"Okay... just go get him back then. Like if he initiated it that probably means he feels something for you. He lives in the tower, right? Just go break in and kiss him back."
"... And this is why I hire you."
"No, you hire me because I'm your friend and because I've been here since the start of your villain career. Now go be a simp somewhere else, I'm brewing potions right now."