Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"Don't be scared. I just need you to come with me for a minute."

Those words would have sounded a lot more comforting had they not been coming out of the mouth of a complete stranger, one whose face wasn’t mostly obscured by an expensive looking hat and dark, shadowy glasses. As it stood, you were utterly powerless to stop the mysterious older man from dragging you along, towards a much darker, more secluded spot of the bar.

The strength in his arms surprised you, and made you think twice about calling out for help. It didn’t really look like anyone else in here would be willing to come running to your aid, anyway.

Trying to start some kind of conversation seemed like the least painful option still available to you. “Mister…?”

“Burke,” He replied, with a certain amount of levity accentuating his gravelly tone. “But you can call me the best thing that’ll ever happen to you, my love.”

Your face flushed, and you unwittingly squeezed his large, calloused hand in surprise. This flustered reaction only served to spur him on even more, slowly guiding your hand towards his lips. You weren’t sure what he wanted to do, but those doubts gradually faded away as you felt the soft caress of his mouth lightly pressing against the back of your hand. This stranger - Mister Burke, you reminded yourself - seemed more like a devil than a man to you.

You couldn’t, wouldn’t give yourself to a man you’d only just met. No matter how handsome or charming he may be.

“I’m sorry, I…I have to go…!” The hold on your arm suddenly tightened, the once gentle grip of this charming stranger turning harsh and unforgiving the moment you tried to break free of it. His eyes were still unreadable, locked away behind those shady glasses. Though if they’d been visible, you felt certain they would have flashed with an undeserved possessiveness.

“Oh, come now. Won’t you stay? Please. Make tonight one I won’t forget.”

Maybe it was the sincere, almost pleading tone in his voice. Perhaps the seedy atmosphere of this bar had finally penetrated and gotten under your skin.

For some inexplicable reason, you just didn’t have it in you to deny his request.

So you gave in, and eventually gave all of yourself to the man known only as Mister Burke.

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“You know…I’m almost sad to see you go, my sweet. Are you sure I can’t convince you to stay?”

Ugh. It was a slow, shameful experience, trying to collect the tattered remains of your clothing that still lay scattered all around the room, a painful reminder of last night. This man - no, this monster, had taken you with all the ferocity of a wild animal. To think that such a savage would hide behind a pretty face, disguised with even prettier words…you had been well and truly duped, not to mention robbed of your virginity in the process.

You couldn’t trust another word that came out of Burke’s mouth, no matter how tempting it might be.

But it was hard, so very hard to remember to resist when his arms suddenly wrapped around yours, the needy, gentle breaths hitting the back of your neck, that unique, faded scent of old cologne mixed with fresh sweat clouding your senses, making you nostalgic for a time that could never truly be yours.

It’s like he was silently pleading with you, begging you to stay. And you had always been weak. So very weak. It was probably exactly why he’d chosen you. “I think you’ll find…I can be very convincing, when I want to be.”

You had been so determined to leave, to step out of this glorified prison with some semblance of your sanity still intact, but Burke’s sweet crooning in your ear was making it much, much harder than it had to be.

“It’s just so rare that I bother to make the effort, you see. But for you, my dear, I’m willing to make an exception. You shine brighter than anyone else, even in this wasteland. I want to take some of that light for myself, if you’ll let me.”

His lips met your neck, and you didn’t try to fight it. Now that he’d had a taste of you, held you tight within his grasp, you got the feeling that he wouldn’t let you go.

The trip back to his bed was a short one, made longer only by the death of your dignity along the way. You let him scoop you up into his arms, and for the first time, Burke was actually touching you like you were something precious.

You stared up at him as he gently laid you back down, his eyes just as unreadable as if they’d still been hidden behind his glasses. Perhaps this too, was just another disguise. Mister Burke was a man of many faces, and tonight, he seemed to be intent on playing the gentleman.

“Don’t worry, my sweet little songbird. This time, I promise. I’ll be gentle.”

This time, you weren’t going to be deceived. You could finally take comfort in Burke’s embrace, now that you knew what he truly was. He was evil, of that you were sure, but he was a man-made one.

So long as he kept you, his sweet little songbird, willfully trapped in this gilded, golden cage, well out of harm’s way - why, that suited you just fine. And judging by the blissful look on Burke’s face as he wildly thrust in and out of you, why, that seemed to suit him just fine, too.

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For a split second, it hits you. The overwhelming gravity of what you’ve done.

Inside that blinding light, you didn’t find the beauty of absolution. It was almost nothing like he’d promised you it would be. The only thing you found floating inside that dying mushroom cloud was a vague sense of regret.

The ramifications of your actions tonight were going to be felt for years to come. If anyone survived, if anyone dared to ask you why - there’d be only one justification, only one single thing you could say.

You did it all for the man standing next to you, hands clenched in quiet awe.

Every single thing you’d done since meeting him, every single thing you had yet to achieve, it was all for one important purpose. More than anything,

You just wanted to make him smile.

- -

When your father’s face suddenly resurfaced in your mind’s eye, you felt like screaming. He always knew just when to show up - when he wasn’t wanted. He was free to come and go as he saw fit; coming to you when he wanted to pass judgement on your actions, abandoning you when you needed him most.

The tension, that dreadful sense of uneasiness steadily rising higher and higher finally subsided, replaced by a familiar, comforting sense of warmth.

A small moment passed, melting into another. In the afterglow, it was almost deafeningly silent. The only sounds that mattered were the shallow breaths, gentle murmurs and faintly excited gasps coming from the man beside you.

When you could finally bring yourself to open your eyes, you soon found the source of your newfound comfort, your only lifeline in this miserable, drowning world. Burke was smiling at you, holding your hand, gripping it like he never wanted to let go. Gazing lovingly at your profile, like he never wanted this moment to end.

That was when it struck you -

If only he asked, you’d do it all over again.