Todd - Icon of Death (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
deathisacard) wrote2022-11-22 09:53 pm
deathisacard) wrote2022-11-22 09:53 pm
Friends like these
(previous Best laid plans | First)
Todd’s every instinct was to chase Felix down, hold him down, and- what further thoughts he had were interrupted by dry heaving there in the alleyway. The fight had taken more from him than he had anticipated, and Felix’s gun sat oddly in his piece of Void. The Royal would be back for his gun anyway.
After getting himself somewhat presentable, Todd impulsively decided to get a drink at the Archer’s Bow and attempt to pull himself together more. The bar was a near-perfect transplant of an old-world bar but indistinct as to what city or country it might belong to. Inside was dark, close, and that kind of rustic that was comfortable. Whenever Todd was in the city it was a regular haunt of his, and maybe it was his returning presence that sustained it.
He had already reestablished himself there, and as someone obviously not quite human, the bartenders did not comment on his disheveled appearance. Kartik was going to click their tongue in disappointment when they learned that his new suit made it less than an hour without needing mending.
That was a tomorrow problem.
Now he sat in a curved corner booth and pressed a cool glass of decent whiskey to his eye. Even not getting hit in the eyes, the sensitive tissue around them did start to ache when one had been hit in the head as frequently as Todd had recently. He idly smoked and sipped at his drink, but mostly he was lost in thought. The image of how Felix looked when Todd had held his gun played out over and over in his mind. The gun in question sat softly unquiet where it was–something like a slow heartbeat.
“You look like shit, Than,” a voice said and snapped Todd out of his reverie. He blinked and focused on the man standing at his table. Only one person called Todd ‘Than,’ which was short for ‘Thanatos,’ and that person was-
“Mikael,” Todd said mildly.
Mikael’s soft brown curls were a little longer than was strictly in fashion for power brokers, but it did take the edges off of his ruthless features. Mikael was someone who moved around vast amounts of money to turn it into even more money and was paid staggering amounts to do so. He liked stability, and that put him at odds with the Royals and Arcana of the city. Being an Icon of Judgement was something you might miss if you weren’t looking for it.
Mikael took Todd saying his name as an invitation and slid into the booth next to Todd, close enough to touch leg to leg. “What does that nasty Hierophant have you doing?”
“Nothing,” Todd said defensively.
“Please. I know you two have a history and all from when he had been a Royal and all that, but you know you don’t have to do anything for him, right?” Mikael said.
Todd regretted that he had ever given Mikael any information about his past in moments like this, but then again, who else had ever put up with Todd for any length of time? “It’s not like that,” Todd said.
“So what is it like?” Mikael asked.
“There is this royal, and-”
“You mean ‘was,’ right?” Mikael interrupted.
“No, he remains a problem,” Todd said.
“No? A bloody royal did this to you and is still drawing breath?” Mikael looked positively intrigued.
There was a very good reason Felix was still alive. Really there was. He just had to think of that reason. The seconds stretched out, and Todd knew the longer the silence built, the more damning it was. “The gun he has is unusual. It refused to kill me.”
“You and your love of weapons. I’ll never understand,” Mikael said but did not look like he bought Todd’s reasoning. Rather than continue to press at that moment, he looked deeply into Todd’s face and rested his hand on Todd’s thigh. “Come home with me. Let me take care of you.”
Mikael’s penthouse was one of the most secure places in the city. Todd would be able to rest there. “I have a place already,” he said.
“Your stuff can sit in whatever hotel you’re currently checked into for one night. You’ve been in town for how long and you haven’t come to see me?” Mikael said.
“Okay, Miska. One night,” Todd said.
“It’s a start,” Mikael said and leaned in to kiss him.
---
Mikael’s penthouse was just as secure and well-appointed as usual. The details changed over the years, but the core of it stayed the same. In a way, just like the Icons themselves. He had sent Todd off to the guest suite to get clean.
“I’ll have your clothes cleaned and mended,” Mikael had said before leaving Todd alone.
Getting clean felt glorious and Todd spent a luxurious time standing in the perfectly warm water. There was a small supply of basic first aid supplies in the bathroom. With it Todd was able to address the small stab wound in his side, which had a growing companion bruise. In the mirror he looked a little less haggard. It would do.
Stepping out of the bathroom, Todd saw that his clothes had been taken away. There was a black silk robe in their place. Mikael was standing between him and the bed, now dressed in a similar robe in royal blue. “I was just dropping off your robe,” Mikael said, and his eyes did a slow circuit over Todd’s body.
It only took Todd a pair of strides to close the distance and pull Mikael to him. Warm lips and tongue met his and Mikael’s body pressed to him. Mikael was a warmth that Todd could sink his fingers into and be soothed–as they had done many times before. Yet, even as he tried to relax into that welcoming feeling, every part of him rebelled. He pulled away, confused at the desperate need in him that at the same time rejected what was being offered to him. “I’m sorry, Miska,” he said, not really sure what he was apologizing for.
A slow smile spread over Mikael’s face and he said, “Oh, you’ve got it bad.”
“It?”
“Put that on and let’s have a drink,” Mikeal said gesturing to the robe on Todd’s bed
Feeling befuddled and wound up resulted in Todd looking sullen as they shared a drink in Mikael’s living room.
“This royal of yours,” Mikael finally said.
“What about him?” Todd said.
“He’s the ‘it.’”
Todd squinted in doubt. “What makes you say that?”
“For one, he is still alive, and two you clearly can’t stop thinking about him,” Mikael replied and did not sound the slightest bit upset that these things had derailed his plans of being fucked hard. Mikael did get enjoyment from watching people squirm.
Todd, squirming, made a sound of agreement and finished his drink in a rush.
“You said the gun refused to kill you, but have you considered that if the gun is special to this royal that he was the one who didn’t want to kill you?” Mikael said.
“I’m not sure,” Todd admitted.
“Well, that is an interesting question. Isn’t it?” Mikael said.
---
Leaving that line of questioning to squirm in Todd’s mind Mikael had taken the conversation to simpler and more mundane topics. They fell into the easy rhythm of people who had been on decent enough terms for a long time. Food had been shared before Todd had announced that he needed to rest.
He did feel tired, but a restlessness pushed at Todd. He quickly gave up on sleep and turned his light back on.
He drew the gun out and into his hand. It felt heavy and warm. “Can you feel this?” he asked Felix, who was not there. “What does it feel like, I wonder?” He ran a thoughtful finger along the length of metal, taking in the details that adorned it. Full of questions with no answers he rested the gun against his chest and closed his eyes. What dreams he had were haunted by eyes that glinted like molten gold.
Todd’s every instinct was to chase Felix down, hold him down, and- what further thoughts he had were interrupted by dry heaving there in the alleyway. The fight had taken more from him than he had anticipated, and Felix’s gun sat oddly in his piece of Void. The Royal would be back for his gun anyway.
After getting himself somewhat presentable, Todd impulsively decided to get a drink at the Archer’s Bow and attempt to pull himself together more. The bar was a near-perfect transplant of an old-world bar but indistinct as to what city or country it might belong to. Inside was dark, close, and that kind of rustic that was comfortable. Whenever Todd was in the city it was a regular haunt of his, and maybe it was his returning presence that sustained it.
He had already reestablished himself there, and as someone obviously not quite human, the bartenders did not comment on his disheveled appearance. Kartik was going to click their tongue in disappointment when they learned that his new suit made it less than an hour without needing mending.
That was a tomorrow problem.
Now he sat in a curved corner booth and pressed a cool glass of decent whiskey to his eye. Even not getting hit in the eyes, the sensitive tissue around them did start to ache when one had been hit in the head as frequently as Todd had recently. He idly smoked and sipped at his drink, but mostly he was lost in thought. The image of how Felix looked when Todd had held his gun played out over and over in his mind. The gun in question sat softly unquiet where it was–something like a slow heartbeat.
“You look like shit, Than,” a voice said and snapped Todd out of his reverie. He blinked and focused on the man standing at his table. Only one person called Todd ‘Than,’ which was short for ‘Thanatos,’ and that person was-
“Mikael,” Todd said mildly.
Mikael’s soft brown curls were a little longer than was strictly in fashion for power brokers, but it did take the edges off of his ruthless features. Mikael was someone who moved around vast amounts of money to turn it into even more money and was paid staggering amounts to do so. He liked stability, and that put him at odds with the Royals and Arcana of the city. Being an Icon of Judgement was something you might miss if you weren’t looking for it.
Mikael took Todd saying his name as an invitation and slid into the booth next to Todd, close enough to touch leg to leg. “What does that nasty Hierophant have you doing?”
“Nothing,” Todd said defensively.
“Please. I know you two have a history and all from when he had been a Royal and all that, but you know you don’t have to do anything for him, right?” Mikael said.
Todd regretted that he had ever given Mikael any information about his past in moments like this, but then again, who else had ever put up with Todd for any length of time? “It’s not like that,” Todd said.
“So what is it like?” Mikael asked.
“There is this royal, and-”
“You mean ‘was,’ right?” Mikael interrupted.
“No, he remains a problem,” Todd said.
“No? A bloody royal did this to you and is still drawing breath?” Mikael looked positively intrigued.
There was a very good reason Felix was still alive. Really there was. He just had to think of that reason. The seconds stretched out, and Todd knew the longer the silence built, the more damning it was. “The gun he has is unusual. It refused to kill me.”
“You and your love of weapons. I’ll never understand,” Mikael said but did not look like he bought Todd’s reasoning. Rather than continue to press at that moment, he looked deeply into Todd’s face and rested his hand on Todd’s thigh. “Come home with me. Let me take care of you.”
Mikael’s penthouse was one of the most secure places in the city. Todd would be able to rest there. “I have a place already,” he said.
“Your stuff can sit in whatever hotel you’re currently checked into for one night. You’ve been in town for how long and you haven’t come to see me?” Mikael said.
“Okay, Miska. One night,” Todd said.
“It’s a start,” Mikael said and leaned in to kiss him.
---
Mikael’s penthouse was just as secure and well-appointed as usual. The details changed over the years, but the core of it stayed the same. In a way, just like the Icons themselves. He had sent Todd off to the guest suite to get clean.
“I’ll have your clothes cleaned and mended,” Mikael had said before leaving Todd alone.
Getting clean felt glorious and Todd spent a luxurious time standing in the perfectly warm water. There was a small supply of basic first aid supplies in the bathroom. With it Todd was able to address the small stab wound in his side, which had a growing companion bruise. In the mirror he looked a little less haggard. It would do.
Stepping out of the bathroom, Todd saw that his clothes had been taken away. There was a black silk robe in their place. Mikael was standing between him and the bed, now dressed in a similar robe in royal blue. “I was just dropping off your robe,” Mikael said, and his eyes did a slow circuit over Todd’s body.
It only took Todd a pair of strides to close the distance and pull Mikael to him. Warm lips and tongue met his and Mikael’s body pressed to him. Mikael was a warmth that Todd could sink his fingers into and be soothed–as they had done many times before. Yet, even as he tried to relax into that welcoming feeling, every part of him rebelled. He pulled away, confused at the desperate need in him that at the same time rejected what was being offered to him. “I’m sorry, Miska,” he said, not really sure what he was apologizing for.
A slow smile spread over Mikael’s face and he said, “Oh, you’ve got it bad.”
“It?”
“Put that on and let’s have a drink,” Mikeal said gesturing to the robe on Todd’s bed
Feeling befuddled and wound up resulted in Todd looking sullen as they shared a drink in Mikael’s living room.
“This royal of yours,” Mikael finally said.
“What about him?” Todd said.
“He’s the ‘it.’”
Todd squinted in doubt. “What makes you say that?”
“For one, he is still alive, and two you clearly can’t stop thinking about him,” Mikael replied and did not sound the slightest bit upset that these things had derailed his plans of being fucked hard. Mikael did get enjoyment from watching people squirm.
Todd, squirming, made a sound of agreement and finished his drink in a rush.
“You said the gun refused to kill you, but have you considered that if the gun is special to this royal that he was the one who didn’t want to kill you?” Mikael said.
“I’m not sure,” Todd admitted.
“Well, that is an interesting question. Isn’t it?” Mikael said.
---
Leaving that line of questioning to squirm in Todd’s mind Mikael had taken the conversation to simpler and more mundane topics. They fell into the easy rhythm of people who had been on decent enough terms for a long time. Food had been shared before Todd had announced that he needed to rest.
He did feel tired, but a restlessness pushed at Todd. He quickly gave up on sleep and turned his light back on.
He drew the gun out and into his hand. It felt heavy and warm. “Can you feel this?” he asked Felix, who was not there. “What does it feel like, I wonder?” He ran a thoughtful finger along the length of metal, taking in the details that adorned it. Full of questions with no answers he rested the gun against his chest and closed his eyes. What dreams he had were haunted by eyes that glinted like molten gold.