Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

He ghosts his lips over the back of the woman’s palm, guiding her to a door hidden in a shadowy alcove. Her eyes flash as she inclines her head, believing that she’s emerged the victor in their game of manipulation.

Little does she know that she’s only the first of many that he’ll be playing against tonight.

And the man doesn’t lose.

He allows a smirk to dance across his lips for a split second, before his face returns to a careful, neutral mask.

You are the cold, inescapable proof.

He strides back into the sea of people, charming his way through the crowd, shaking hands with the wealthy and exchanging subtle glances with the… less savoury members of his staff.

He’s clawed his way up from nothing, built up a legacy, a reputation to be feared .

He’s the king of the underworld, of a kingdom built on blood and death.

You’re the evil, the way in the life-

He strides down the dimly lit hall, barely registering the sounds of muffled screaming around him.

And the truth.

He laughs as his rival , on his hands and knees.

You’re revival beginning

And you’re genocide

He inspects his gloves, satisfied that the white hasn’t been stained by the crimson splattered across the room.

And I watch in wonder.

He turns to the woman in the corner, and finally, finally , lets a hint of the predator shine through.

Hung high and dry

Where no one can see

She blanches, and he can see the realization hit her.

If there’s no one to blame,

Blame it on me.

He’s repeated those words a thousand times, and he’ll repeat them again.

Because that’s his legacy- he’ll take the blame, and he’ll somehow, impossibly, emerge on top.

Every. Single. Time.

Storm in the sky

Fire in the trees

He is the storm, and the fire, and he basks in the feeling of being seen, being feared.

If there’s nothing but pain-

There is always pain. Sharp,agonizing, tearing through every fibre of his being.

Put it on me.

He’ll take it. He’s gone through every type of pain imaginable, and he’d do it all again.

I know that you’ll never feel like I do

And I’ll break into pieces right in front of you

In that never-ending world of pain, something had… changed.

Perhaps he’d broken.

But he was stronger for it now, and nobody was ever going to get the better of him again.

And I’d burn down the city, and string up the noose

And you’d watch in-

A knife flies through the air.

He never misses.

Chapter Text

Empty halls, winding together in an endless maze. A dimly lit room, full of masks and leering faces and- was that a knife? 

Knees hitting the hard ground, bits of broken glass digging into skin, approaching figures and no, no, no, this can’t be happening, not now, not today-

Fighting, fists hitting flesh, screaming and smoke and blood, so much blood.

What’s going on, I need to get out, need to survive, fight fight FIGHT-

“Breathe.” A commanding voice, leaving no room for disobedience.

Inhale. Exhale.

“Good. Again.”

Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exha-

Pain and tears and pulled hair and hoarse throats and I can’t do this, I can’t I can’t I can’tIcan’tIcan’tIcan’tIcan’tcan’tcan’tcan’t-

“Stop.”

Breath held.

“Good. Exhale.”

Exhale. I can do that.

“Okay. We’re going to try something.”

Blank stare. Eyes unseeing, except for blood and-

“Stop.”

Yes. Okay.

“Good. Now, tell me- what’s one thing you can taste?”

“I-” my voice was hoarse. I coughed. Tried again. “I taste- bile.” Bile that won’t go away, no matter how many times I swallowed-

“Two things you can smell.” The voice brought me back to earth.

“Smoke… burning. And blood.” It’s everywhere, and I can’t-

“Breathe. In out, you’ve got it- one, two, there we go. Three things you hear.”

“I… your voice. And fire.” Fear and burning, burning pain, and- “my… my breathing.” Breathing that was getting just a little bit easier.

“Good. Four things you feel?”

“I feel the floor.” Hard against skinned knees, the aching- no. Stop. “I feel… cold.” Harsh winter winds against unprotected skin, a hand tightly squeezing a too-thin arm, the-

“In and out. There you go. You’re doing great, come on. Two more things you feel.”

“I… I- I feel tears. And shaking.” Is it the floor? No, not the floor… it’s me. Am I shaking? Why am I shaking?

“Five things you see.”

My eyes darted around, taking in my surroundings for the first time. “Bodies. There are… there are bodies everywhere.”

“Go on.”

“There’s… blood, and smashed furniture. Broken glass. And…” A deep shuddering breath.

“ And?”

“ I see my hands. I see my hands, and they’re holding the knife that killed them.”