Trees stand tall. They are strong and beautiful, with nothing to bring them down. Their leaves can be the brightest green and they can bring joy to all those around them, and yet they still cannot remove their own weeds.

☁

The year was 2057. A fraction of humanity had gained powers, unique attributes which they've begun to call Flairs.

Say you had randomly selected a group of twelve people. Of that group, one would have a Flair. An affinity, superpower, aptitude. Call it what you wish.

The reason that Nico di Angelo, a quiet and sweet boy, decided to become a villain is unknown. All the teachers adored him in primary school. His grades were remarkable, his personality incredible.

Everyone thinks they know why Will Solace became a hero. Everyone with a superpower wants to be a hero, right? That's obvious.

☁

Nico di Angelo, an Italian more commonly known as Thanatos, makes his way through an alley, the clouds omitting the faint light of the moon. You wouldn't see him in this kind of darkness, he's known for fading away. In the light, you would notice how his hair was a void of light, a nest of unkempt strands flying about, not that he minded. His eyes were just a shade away from brown, but without the light appeared as surreal black pupils. And while most people wouldn't dare look too long, upon further examination they would see that he had a small line of freckles creating a bridge over his nose. His skin was many shades too pale as if he would avoid every trace of light on this world. He was much too short for a seventeen-year-old, not that his victims thought about that. He was too skinny for a human being. The bags under his eyes too big. And he sported a frown that never seemed to twitch up in the slightest.

This boy was the epitome of unhealthiness.

William Solace, on the other hand, seemed to radiate light. Apart from the freckles and bags under his eyes, you would think that he and Thanatos were complete opposites.

In this world, William (also known as Will) Solace was known as Solare. His hair curled upwards in small ringlets and his eyes were a soft blue, the kind that you'd see in the sky on a summer's day. Like Thanatos, he was also seventeen. Solare was tall and his freckles were scattered over his face in abundance, grouping to create a universe of stars over his face. William was the sun in a world full of villains, his appearance an assurance, and he himself seemed to lift the worry from other people's eyes. He too made his way through a dark alley, with his tan skin and unyielding smile resting upon his face. Saying he was out of place here would be the biggest understatement of the millennia. William was the kind of person everyone wanted to be. In the same way, Solare was the person that Will wanted to be.

The quirks and flaws that we hide are what makes us unique, but for a hero, the quirks and flaws that they have are their downfalls. That's another important piece of information.

☼

Will had always felt too young for what he does. In the mirror, all he could see was a child who lost their childhood. A child who had gone for their dream and lost what they had on the way.

When someone is given something, another thing is taken. If you ignore a child, they lose their trust in you. Give food to a cat, and that cat will lose its ability to hunt.

When Will became the world's youngest hero at just the age of fourteen, he wasn't aware how much of his time would escape him. Everyone fawned over the new and young hero who couldn't find his place. The handsome boy who was just following his dreams. But in the mirror, all Will could see was the shell of a boy he used to know. A boy yearning for some sort of rope, something he could hold onto before he lost his mind. Ever since being a hero, there was no way he could make genuine friends his age. As a seventeen-year-old professional, there weren't many options for friends, and almost no one he shared decent chemistry with. Sure, he could work with almost anyone as long as they tried to work with him even a little, but when it came to someone who could make him smile for a while, that was what he couldn't find.

☾

Nico hated everything at the current moment. The only thing keeping him going was the fact that if he died, his father would erase his name from history. Even if he didn't like the way life was going, being forgotten was the worst thing that could happen to a human. Having your name memorised by many people for the rest of time as a villain was better than not existing at all, right?

Despite everything, Nico didn't particularly feel lonely, or maybe that was because his time was occupied by doing as many evil deeds as he can. Of course, Nico had never killed anybody. That was unthinkable - to have the life of another person be a weight for the rest of a lifetime would be too much for him to carry. Surprisingly, even with other villains taking up the role of ending lives, none did so frequently enough to create a significant title for themselves. Not with Solare prancing around, being everyone's golden boy. Just the thought of the name left a sour remain. Solare. A ray of sunlight, the boy who left no corner of the country that he could reach darken.

It pained Nico, in all honesty, though he would never admit it. He keeps his shadows locked up precariously inside himself, unaware of how small he was and how restless his shadows are becoming.

To see so many places brighten while he only grew darker was something he turned a blind eye to. It was something he was tortuously aware of but refused to train his sight on. As a villain, no one cared if he's breaking on the inside. Why should they, when he only brought about sadness?

an//
so that was the first part of this story! hopefully it wasn't trash. what did you think? leave as many comments as you like, i don't care how irrelevant they are, i love reading each and every one of them

also when you see a mistake, please tell me. i won't be offended, because it helps me be a better writer!

also i need friends so if you want to message me, please do! it means a lot, trust me <3

make sure to drink a cup of water and eat something to stay healthy

i'll see you soon :D