WI|N|CKED

Fucking fool.

Not for the first time, his partner's unexpected hello drew him out of the task at hand; a spread of addresses and names sprawled over the counter, from handwritten accounts to more recent photocopied records. The worried crease of his brow dissipated at hearing Ake's smooth voice. Few others managed to sneak up on him in the same way. Perhaps the man's graceful, feline-esque movements subconsciously put him at ease. A tiny snicker left Lethros at the thought. "What a coincidence, the same urge strikes me each time I see you." He leaned into Akephalos, releasing a pen to hold one of the other man's arms where it was coiled about his hip. "You do know I've work to finish? I'm not sure I could eke out the time for such things..." Leth's long, satisfied sigh at all this loving attention belied his excuse. He often needed someone's else's permission to take pause from his work. Something he had never said aloud, but which Akephalos inherently understood. "I suppose one awful idea won't kill me." He grinned terribly and added; "Or will I be needing spare attire after sating your appetites tonight, dearest?"

He rocked back on one heel; his head, torso and back leg visible from behind the wall as he addressed the ravenous little insect at the table. "You've spent the entire afternoon snacking, Fausta. I'm quite sure you won't starve." But the girl would have none of it, insistent as ever. It took the village to raise a nightmare child, he supposed. The rest of him appeared. Leth dusted the flour from his apron and put both hands on his hips, furrowing his brow. "Someone's cranky this evening. Did something happen today?"

No doubt something flashy, knowing him. At least it wouldn’t catch her off-guard next time. “You’re welcome in my home at any time. I’ll tell you in advance that my pets are kind but skittish. They will not harm you. Behind the cemetery, if you’ve not seen it.” He splayed his fingers out across the table, like a couple of gangly spiders. “I cannot promise to be amicable all the time, nor to keep from entertaining myself on occasion at the expense of your embarrassment. But blood has never been my trade, Syntherea. So long as we are... ‘family’, as you say, I will never lay a hand upon you - or your daughter, for that matter. Shall we make a deal?” He began scrawling some arbitrary rune in the wood; an inky, otherworldly tear that dissipated when he wiped over it with his palm. Leth grinned like only he could. “Only kidding.”

“Oh, but we can. You forget yourself -- and underestimate us. If you said the words, I’d wipe the dust off my rifle and this town would belong to we three, Red. It already does.” He grinned at his partner as if for affirmation, but it was impossible to tell if he was truly so ambitious about the idea. “Not to fear love, we aren’t all devoid of fun in this godforsaken town.” Nodding his head in Romero’s direction, he pressed Ruben’s fingers between his own. “Depends who we’d be pilfering from, hm. And as for your question about Adrian, Red -- No, at least not while I had eyes on them. You know the other stickler tries to keep things professional in public; futile as it is.” The saloon doors parted with a bang, and Leth straightened like a cobra poising itself to strike. Despite a loud entrance, confidence was not a familiar scent on the Marshal. From the stilted greetings to the caught-rabbit gaze, it seemed that wasn’t about to change. As venomous creatures went, Romero could be a sweet viper - but a viper all the same. It took one to know one. Leth would sooner pick a fight with himself than her. “Oh yes. Dreadful. Just dreadful, Mr. Bell.” He tutted, the words dripping from his lips in that almost-rhythmic way. Much like the amber liquor as it settled into the Marshal’s glass. The bartender slid it down the counter... “Your  - and your deputy’s - bravery provides many of my patrons with the reassurance they need to sleep at night.” ...only to block his customer off from the nectar with his forearm. “So between you and us, how fares the investigation?”

(I guess I shouldn’t be surprised at the edgy result presented by the colour red, hah. This blog is known only by a small circle as it is so just do it for shits and giggles if you see this, friends.)

The demoness’ intense gaze wasn’t on him any longer, yet the tension hadn’t faded. “I wonder who he’d choose, if it came down to that.” He murmured into the dark. The remark bore so little malice or smugness that it was almost suspicious. His eyes were closed, hands tucked into the pockets of a sweater that didn’t look to be Leth’s. He just couldn’t help himself. Not now. Not ever. He breathed out, completely unnecessarily. “Why is it you consider yourself so much better?”

“He makes the most marvellous things, Cicero. But I feel all he does is tend to the child. What will he do when she leaves the nest? I wonder if I haven’t made some error, encouraging this stagnation. This apparent lack of aspiration. You have always had some drive, even I was in disagreement... Is it possible for me to show him that perhaps he should thirst for more?” 

It was a package the size of a small child; an exactly-square box. Had one not met Leth before, it would have been easy to guess that it was wrapped by a machine. Not that this present had his name actually written anywhere on it. The tiny sections of tape used were almost invisible against the bright and seasonal paper. A label on the side read: WARNING: ITEM MAY BE HOT But there was more to the gift than first met the eye. In fact, there was a lot more. Five boxes in total, stacked inside each other. The final box only added insult to injury. A freeze-pack, keeping a lovely lump of ice solid. And one last note. “Tu es drôle, mon ami. Tu es drôle.”

As Akephalos spoke, Leth stretched his arm out along the couch, leaning back to better observe the other man. One slender leg was crossed over his knee. It slid off and planted itself upon the floor while a smile developed on his fine and bony features. “Is that so; I compel you.” He ghosted his fingers over the canvas - just as precious as the demon himself was to Leth, nails not quite touching the surface. His glee at being given such a gift was palpable. “Remind me, is ‘another time’ colloquially called Thursday or Friday? Though I can’t promise to let you do much actual painting. Not while you have all this new time to spare off work.” With that knowing grin he wore so well, he slung his arm around Akephalos’ shoulders. “I’ve something for you too. But I’m afraid it isn’t quite prepared for this occasion. In the meantime however. . . perhaps I could offer you a more interesting canvas? For your more interesting tools?”

@necroticblonde​ / @serpentinebrutality​

@serpentinebrutality​ / @necroticblonde​

“Last we saw each other I did not approach with courtesy. But I reiterate that I have no qualms with you - you’re welcome to make use of the house.” Which wasn’t his to give, but hell if Syntherea knew that. “I believe Ake was paying a visit to the hardware store, but he should return in a couple of hours. It may depend on whether the parcel requires a drive or not.” He didn’t elaborate on that front, looking past her shoulder with an expression of deep thought on his face. The rise in temperature perplexed him even further. “...Surely we get enough of that downstairs. Are you really so frozen?”