who would prepare for peace take up the sword

A sudden voice made you jump, your eyes darting to the corner of the patio where a figure stood in the shadows, arms leaning over the railing. Besides his feet was a silver half-mask, set aside while he didn't feel the pull to conceal himself from the crowds. The first time you'd seen him without it, neither of you seemed to notice he'd forgotten to put it on as he was fully engrossed in the conversation with you. From then on, he didn't bother, something you took to heart as others rarely saw him like this.

“Fuck, I’m glad to see you,” you sighed with relief, walking over to him as your shoulders finally relaxed. “Sorry if I’m yelling, I’m still a little deaf.”

V chuckled, taking a sip of his drink and immediately grimacing.

“Think someone swapped out the tequila for holy water?” you teased, smirking at his reaction.

“Didn’t you hear? The pope made a special stop just to bless the margaritas. Just couldn’t pass up a good spiritus sancti.”

For the first time in too long, you laughed. Actually laughed. And it felt really fucking good. Luckily this was a relatively common occurrence in his presence, but you really hadn’t seen him since you’d both fallen into respective relationships.

“Where's your better half?” You asked after you'd collected yourself.

“Likely still dancing with the horde. For the life of me I don't understand the appeal, but they certainly enjoy it. Yours?”

Biting your lip, you looked down at your feet.

“Inside. Somewhere.”

V let out a quiet hum in contemplation, not pressing the issue further. In truth, you were both likely equally perplexed by each other's choice in partners. You had no idea how he found himself in a relationship with someone who craved such attention, knowing how off-stage he much preferred solitude and this person thrived on anything but. In turn, V seemed to also be curious about your own taste in men as a financier wasn't exactly the wish-fulfillment you'd dreamed of.

As if reading your mind, V turned his back to the skyline, leaning his forearms against the railing and eyeing you skeptically.

“So…” he began, cocking an eyebrow playfully.

Uh oh. You knew where this was headed. There was a certain look all the Emeritus boys got in the eye when something out of pocket was rattling around in their heads. But luckily for you, he knew you were a good sport.

“Sigh,” you huffed, rolling your eyes dramatically. “What is it?”

“Nothing!” V chirped innocently, holding up his palms. “Nothing. I just… he's got great hair.”

At this point he wasn't even trying to be convincing, with a coy grin curling his lips.

“Quite tall too. I bet he can reach all those pesky cobwebs for you.”

This time it was you letting out a sarcastic snort.

“Wouldn't that be nice. I can barely get him to take out the garbage.”

With that comment, the humor seemed to falter from his face for a moment before he reached into his jacket, producing a steel flask. V took a deep swig before holding it out towards you. Tragically, you shook your head.

“He, erm, really doesn't like it when I drink. Besides, I really should go try to find him.”

“He doesn't like- get fucked. And he should be looking for you. Does he even know where you are? You could have absconded into the night or trapped in a basement somewhere.”

“Gee thanks, V.”

“You know what I mean. I wouldn't let you out of my sight in a place like this.”

Once again, you scoffed, relenting and reaching for the flask, taking a triumphant gulp. Fuck that definitely wasn't a watered down margarita. The whiskey burned against your throat, offering a welcome warmth.

“Well I'd never drag you to a place like this in the first place.”

Once again, silence crept in, along with what may have been a dose of melancholy. Truthfully, you'd never considered yourself even in the same realm as him. Sure he was a friend, but the idea of a romantic notion seemed so far-fetched and ludicrous that you'd never even humored the thought.

“At least the view is worth it,” V mused, turning back to face the skyline.

An audible gulp, one impossible to miss, escaped your mouth as you took a step back. Looking over his shoulder, he regarded you with what looked like equal parts concern and confusion.

“Woah, what's this? You okay?”

“No, I mean I'm fine, I just… really don't love heights,” you admitted in a small, pathetic voice.

“I knew about your aversion to bees, but you've been to several rooftop rituals in the past. I never heard you complain.” He seemed borderline offended that you hadn't confided this little detail to him.

“Because you asked me to be there, V.”

He looked at you for a moment before holding out his hand towards you.

“Ten seconds.”

“What?”

“Gimme ten seconds. I'll even let you count.”

“V, what the fuck are you-”

“Look, d’you trust me or not?”

The question truly caught you off-guard but at the same time, you had an immediate answer.

“Of course I do.”

V waggled his fingers at you.

“Then come here.”

With hesitant steps, you took his hand as he gently guided you to the railing. Immediately a rush of vertigo crashed into you as you looked out towards the skyline and you clamped your eyes shut. Slowly, V’s hands took hold of yours, gently pressing your palms to the cool metal as he stood behind you.

“Just give me ten seconds of your fear. I'll talk you through it.”

His voice was calm, collected as he spoke into your ear. Even though your heart was pounding in your chest, threatening to burst through your ribcage, you nodded.

“I'm right here. You can trust me. I'm not gonna let you fall.”

Your back pressed against his chest as his hands rested on either side of yours, the supple leather of his gloves resting against the sides of your hands and caging your body between his own and the railing. Normally, you'd be two seconds away from a panic attack at this point but for some reason there was a stillness settling into your mind as you allowed yourself to open your eyes. Despite the anxieties, you had to admit the view really was quite spectacular.

“Look out at the lights. Every one of those lights is a room. They're all filled with people living their lives in all their mundane glory, all their own escapist fantasies. But here you stand, towering above them like a god.”

Your fingers tightened, white-knuckling around the railing but not in fear. Instead, you were hanging on his every word and the oddly soothing image he was able to conjure.

“Look down.”

Immediately you froze, once again swallowing hard as a buzzing anxiety welled in your chest but slowly, you felt his arm snake around your waist.

“I've got you. Just tip your head forward.”

“I'm scared,” you whispered, so quietly you weren't sure he could even hear you over the city chaos.

“Do you want me to let you go?”

A pause. The racing in your thoughts kicked up again, making you almost woozy. Forcing yourself to take a deep breath, you ultimately shook your head.

V’s other hand rested on your shoulder, coaxing you to lean forward just slightly, just enough to see the towering facade of the building leading down to the chasm of streets and cars. The wind tousled your hair, nearly drowning out the usual cacophony the metropolis offered. In fact it was almost… peaceful.

“If anything, anyone, makes you feel small, just remember that you were the one standing here dominating this entire fucking city. And they should count themselves lucky to be in your presence.”

His arm pulled you back slowly, pressing you tightly against him while his thumb stroked against your shoulder. Even more surprising than the fact that you were seventy stories up and somehow hadn't managed to puke was the irrefutable fact that something else was sneaking into your veins. Arousal. Unmistakable, all-encompassing arousal.

“Are you still afraid?”

How the fuck were you supposed to answer that? What the fuck was happening in your brain right now?

“N-no,” you stammered, swallowing hard as you forced yourself to remember to breathe. His hand remained on your shoulder, shifting slightly to rest along your neck. The feeling of leather against your skin gave you an unexpected jolt, and you could have sworn you felt V tense behind you as well.

“I have a confession,” V said quietly.

Oh fuck.

There was clear trepidation in his voice but he leaned in, his mouth hovering beside your ear, the heat radiating from his lips.

“I fucking hate your boyfriend.”

Whatever you were expecting, it certainly wasn't that. Immediately you burst into laughter, with V following suit.

“I mean that guy really, really sucks. You've gotta be with him for his dick, right? Because he's certainly not giving it to you intellectually.”

“You really have no shame, do you, V?” You buried your face in your hands, shaking your head warily. Honestly, if only that were the case. At least it would've given you a viable reason to stick around.

“Christ, so he's not even good in the sack? Why in the hells are you wasting your time with this guy? If you're that desperate for disappointing sex, you coulda called my brother.”

Finally, you turned around, awkwardly shifting yourself to face him, you back not pressed against the railing. Maybe it was the adrenaline, maybe you were just lightheaded from the altitude, but whatever it was gave you an emboldened rush of brutal candor.

“What I'm desperate for is to get fucked. Properly fucked. Like, forgetting my own name and walking with a limp for a few days. I'm so fucking tired of falling asleep with my vibrator after sitting through another stupid documentary on biohacking bullshit with someone who doesn't even know my favorite color.”

“Midnight blue,” V replied, a little too quickly, a little too confidently. “But only when it has those sparkly flecks of silver in it.”

Really? After everything you'd just said, that's what he latched into? Proof that he paid attention to rudimentary details of basic-

V’s hands reached out, brushing the errant strands away from your face before his fingers traced along your cheekbones. Taking his time, his eyes trailed over your face, carefully examining your features as if looking for a sudden change in your demeanor. Perhaps he had heard what you'd said and was electing to ignore it? Had you truly just embarrassed yourself that badly?

“You trust me?” He asked finally.

“I already told you; of course I do.”

“Then trust me to do this.”

Leaning in, his lips pressed against yours, immediately stealing your breath away. While the kiss was slow, there was a distinct lack of hesitancy, instead he opted to let his mouth explore yours, unhurriedly and measured. Your hands gripped his waist, pulling him closer as you found yourself getting more and more lost as the kiss deepened. V nipped at your bottom lip playfully, his tongue flicking over yours as your mouth fell open, a moan escaping your throat before you even knew it was rising.

The audible proof his effect was having on you bolstered him further and he tangled his fingers in your hair, tipping your head backward as he kissed along your jaw, trailing his tongue to your neck where he sucked roughly at your heated skin. Another moan erupted, a gasping, whining sound that was the culmination of all these things you'd been aching for, every button he somehow already knew exactly how to push.

Forcing himself to detach his moan from your neck with a groan, V brushed his nose against your ear, his breath ragged and strained. You were already a mess, cheeks flushed and lips reddened in a way they hadn't been in years.

“You and I have some obligatory conversations to deliver. But once we're done with them, I'm taking you home.”

Looking up at him, you truly wondered if he meant to stop there, perhaps cautious to move things too quickly. What a fool you were. Just like clockwork, there was that glint again as his fingers tightened in your hair.