Sebastian’s fist curls tighter in the fabric of Ruvik’s coat, having pulled the ends of it together to grip them hard in one hand. “You’re not as smart as I thought you were if you think this is me being charming.”
And, truly, he thought this was just another nightmare. Ruvik’s silhouette is familiar to him now, those eyes of his so often featured in his dreams that Sebastian could likely paint them out of memory. But this isn’t the Victoriano mansion (and it isn’t the home he had with Myra; how many times has he dreamt of Ruvik pursuing him in it before the whole house burst into flames around them?), and Ruvik is speaking instead of stalking him in menacing silence, and it frightens him to think he’s meeting the man again.
More than fear, however, Sebastian feels anger. It flares in the back of his mind as he thinks of the last time he’d seen Leslie, or Ruvik, or Leslie-Ruvik– God, is Leslie okay?– and it takes every single nerve in his body not to reel his fist back and crack Ruvik’s jaw. He’s dreamt of that too: for all the nightmares Sebastian’s had that’ve ended with Ruvik blowing his head up, he’s had just as many where he’s killed the other man with his own hands, all rough fingers and lost breath and Ruvik’s feet kicking beneath him.
“Is this STEM again?” Sebastian hisses, his words harsh between grit teeth. “Why the hell am I looking at you?”
so sarcasm is wasted on sebastian - a fact that is as unsurprising as it is disappointing. ruben carefully categorizes the information alongside everything else he’s learned about the detective ( which is plenty, considering his intimate familiarity with sebastian’s mind ) to consider its usefulness later, when he isn’t being manhandled so aggressively.
“ if it were, you would be dead. ” ruben answers, clinical despite the heavy weight of frustration sitting in the center of his chest. this is not an ideal situation. especially not if sebastian is feeling daring enough to challenge him physically without so much as a breath of hesitation.
his gaze shifts to the space just behind sebastian’s shoulder, a shimmering darkness that struggles to find coherency. its instability is the clearest indication that ruben does not control this world. ignoring sebastian comes easily as he concentrates on the empty space, envisioning solid wooden floor & walls to match. the deep cherry wood materializes slowly, as though struggling against the fabrics of their current reality until they take shape, matter melting & rebuilding & dyeing itself to fit his design. perhaps a more domestic vision than his usual imaginings, but it’s simple & real enough. it will do.
in an instant, ruben vanishes from sight, reappearing instantly behind the irate detective in a flicker of movement. pain erupts just behind his eyes in a sudden flash of silver, but ruben swallows the response with his jaw locked tight. it’s the first time he’s ever had difficulty with his manifestations in this form.
“ but if you try a stunt like that again, perhaps i can arrange something for you anyway. ” is that something he’s even capable of doing here, in this liminal space ? he’s unsure. but if sebastian is ( un ) willing to be a test subject, ruben is more than eager to experiment.
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