bloodandbrass

[ david rolls his eyes when he realises evan isn't going to reply, sits and stews on it a little while until he decides, for the second time today, he's sick of letting evan just do that. this time he decides to head over there, evan can't just refuse to reply in person. at least not as easily. he doesn't even bother changing, clothes still torn and bloody, body cut up from the trial. mostly healed, it's little more than scrapes and bruises, and david tries to pay it no mind. the clothes, he figures, will end up as they were during some period of inattention like usual. the lingering injuries on the other hand. ]

[ since the masquerade, he's been turning up to trials already injured more than usual, and david doesn't know what to think about it. did he piss off the entity somehow? or is he somehow manifesting this problem himself? david doesn't know, so he elects to just act like everything's business as usual and hope this isn't his new normal. whatever the fuck evan's deal is is clearly more pressing right now anyway. that's something he stands a percentage of a chance to get an answer for. ]

[ it feels like it's been forever since he's been to the estate (barring trials, obviously) but nothing changes. david pauses once he's there, thinking, and then elects to make the same choice he always does. just head for the workshop; either that's where evan already is, or he'll notice someone's going that way and head over to check it out. ]

[ evan's not in the workshop, but as ever, he can just tell there's a problem. no traps are spring and there's no visible footsteps, but after five minutes out working on the coal tower he gets an itch in the back of his head that doesn't suggest he's about to go to a trial. it's a sense that's gotten more refined over the time he's been here, but it's never really clear what it's telling him. sometimes someone's in the workshop. sometimes they're just fucking around.

given the recent conversation, he gets the feeling it might be david. wouldn't be the first time he's trespassed to finish a conversation evan thought was over. he give it another ten minutes repairing a crumbling chunk of foundation on the tower before heading back.

he dumps those supplies just outside the mine, because they're not as important, and heads in. all the traps are still set. someone careful. or just not looking to piss him off. or very, very sneaky.

but it's david down there, as he guessed. he glares at him from the doorway. doesn't say a word - just waits for him to start the conversation. ]

[ tempted as he might be, david doesn't fuck around with any of evan's stuff while he waits, partially out of a lack of desire to start a fight about it if he walks in, partially because he's been very intentionally avoiding even speaking to evan for a while now, so it feels a bit weird to be down here after all that. just sets his claudette-mandated go bag (because everyone's sick of him turning up looking like hell) down on a workbench and hoists himself up to sit on the same one. ]

[ it takes evan longer to turn up than he expected, but he does eventually, standing in the doorway with a glower on his face that david is much too familiar with. ]

No way you're this pissed because of a nickname.

[ what evan wants to do, and feels the urge to do, is hurl his cleaver directly at david's head. or storm over there and put it in his chest, feel his ribs snap and shatter under the force of the blade. he's not very good at self-control anymore. never has been, actually.

but he does have some hints of it, and they manage to keep him from launching himself directly at david to kill him. instead he snorts and slams the workshop door behind him. ]

Don't wanna fuck someone with bad taste.

[ ultimately that's not the truth of the matter, but he has to begrudgingly acknowledge that he can't control david or any other survivor. outside the workshop, off his property? they can do whatever the hell they want, and cutting himself off from them out of spite only costs him. and meanwhile someone else is benefitting. ]

You look like shit.

[ he heads to a workbench away from david and slams his cleaver on it. he still, in his own head, has work to do. ]

[ david watches the little hints of evan's anger — the door, the cleaver — with the tired resignation of someone who's used to it. evan knows, and is likely pissed off by the fact, that david isn't scared of him anymore. hasn't been for a long time. the fear of death hasn't quite left him, especially not in trials where that shit's all turned up, and sure, evan can give that. can surprise him, make him panic if things align right, but he, himself, isn't particularly scary to david. not even enough to make him flinch at the way he slams his cleaver down. ]

Rough trial.

[ but hey, he survived. just barely, dragging sable along with him like a wet cat, but he did. ]

[ who cares about that though, evan's seen him looking like this and worse a million times over. ]

Everyone except you's bad taste are they? Because that's all you seemed to give a shit about.

[ which is both funny and kind of insulting to david, the idea that he'd be fucking any other killers. as if this isn't something almost unthinkable to him. as if he hasn't walked through the woods sick to his stomach with the knowledge he was sleeping in this fucking place while evan was off sacrificing people he cares about. ]

[ he curls his hands into fists in his lap, suddenly unsure of why he felt the need to come out here. why he keeps doing this. but he's here now, othing to do about it but see yet another bad decision through. ]

[ rough trial? they're not supposed to be that roughed up afterward. evan considers questioning it, but this is david. he probably got into a fight on the way out, or the way over here. something stupid. the thought sticks, though, so he puts it away for later.

of course he's focusing on this, though. evan tries to keep his temper in check. he doesn't need to be accused of this bullshit here and now, and not by a survivor, either. ]

Half of 'em. [ he pulls a broken trap jaw out of a crate near the work bench, sets it in front of him and tries to focus most of his brain on fixing the twisted metal. it shouldn't be hard. ] Don't think you'd be into anyone I hate that much anyway. Shouldn't piss you off this much.

That's not it.

[ david watches evan work, a frown on his face. he wouldn't say he's pissed, but maybe he is. it wouldn't exactly be unreasonable if he was anyway, it's evan who's the problem here. ]

It's you trying to dictate where I put my dick like you're my-- [ ew, wait. ] Like we're in a relationship here.

[ if he wasn't so pissed off, he'd laugh at that. like we're in a relationship. as fucking if.

as it is, he twists the metal so hard it cracks, which is just one more thing to fuel the rage. evan slams it back down but doesn't turn around to look at david, just yet.

he wants to snarl something. about how taking what evan have to offer is a trade. that if he wants this then he has to follow rules. but - that's a lie, plain and simple, because there are no rules here, even in trials sometimes. he just doesn't want to think that someone who could come to him would go to someone else, and for once, he does realize that.

he also knows that voicing it will have david off the workbench and out the door in an instant, probably unlikely to come back ever. the rope was bad enough to drive him off until now. ]

Didn't realize you couldn't take a joke.

[ half of one, really. ]

Don't bullshit me.

[ if it's a joke, he thinks it's a bad one, and david likes to think he's pretty good at catching evan's sense of humour. that he's pretty good at dealing with evan in general, which is a-- a weird thought. leads to places he doesn't want to follow. ]

All I'm askin' for is the same little crumb of respect I give you by not asking questions or making demands about who all else you take a tumble with.

[ david sighs, makes a frustrated gesture with an open hand. maybe he's not that good at dealing with evan, because he keeps butting up against this weird, controlling nature and all david knows how to do is barrel into it at full speed. sometimes-- sometimes he can slow down enough to think it through, but mostly all he knows how to do is fight it. same way he's tried to fight every other fucking thing in his life that tried to control him in even the smallest ways. ]

[ he works his jaw, lets out a sharp breath through his nose, and keeps going before he thinks to himself if that's a good idea. ]

I mean, shit. Only reason this even works is because I can still get my leg over elsewhere too.

[ he's still enough until david stops talking. he listens, the anger boiling, the self-control shredding, and then as soon as he hears david finish he turns. bears down on david faster than he should be able to and grabs him by the throat - not to pick him up, but to force him back where he's sitting on the workbench, keeping him caught and penned in.

it'd be easy enough for david to smash a fist into ... anywhere he wanted, honestly, but evan's not thinking that far ahead. ]

You get the respect you deserve. I never asked about that shit before. You volunteered it.

[ probably also as a joke. too late for evan to realize that now. ]

Who else.

[ because demanding works so well with david. ]

[ it always catches him off-guard, these bursts of speed from evan. david doesn't have a chance to react until there's a hand around his throat, but he does after. like always, the anger is instant. he hates this and he's sure that evan must know it. moves with the push if only because that's the only way he can still speak, but it's with a curled lip and a set of his shoulders that says he's ready for a fight. ]

None of your fuckin' business.

[ david snarls, brings his hands up to evan's arm, thumbs looking for the tendons in his wrist to dig into and try to force his grip to let up. ]

Only mentioned it because you're the one acting like the centre of the fuckin' universe. Like nobody gets laid if you ain't here to whip it out.

[ he's not quite angry enough that the pain doesn't reach him, but entity help him, he's not about to let go. ]

You like what I give you? Better or worse than anything else you've ever gotten in your life?

[ it's not quite ego that gets him to ask that. david's angry, which makes him angry, and he's already angry, and maybe he wants to know that what he's giving is worthwhile. not that he'd doubt it. the others, few that wander in, prove it. and so does david. but he also gets a lot of other signals from david, and sometimes it's hard to tell the difference. ]

The fuck kind of question is that?

[ it might not be ego, but david takes it as such, confused and angrier for it. fingers digging in harder against evan's wrist just out of spite more than anything. david doesn't want to want him, but he does, and it stings to have to verbalise that. not even for the first time. so david can only assume he needs his ego fluffed, needs to be told he's a better fuck than anyone else in the fog so he can feel big and important. ]

[ he scowls. honest, sure, but david refuses to say more than he has to. ]

You think I'd put up with this shit if I didn't?

[ he squeezes a little harder just to emphasise what 'this shit' is. ]

[ the question's just waiting to lunge up out of him, a snarl of an accusation: then why the fuck do you need to go to anybody else?

but he hesitates, because he knows the answer. actually, he knows a few. and he doesn't want to hear some of them out loud. he doesn't want to give away any sort of weakness, either, because that question sounds fucking needy, like he's some possessive, jealous ... like david said. like this is a relationship.

his wrist burns with the pressure david's putting on it, and his grip on david's throat loosens a little in response. ]

Just checkin'.

[ abruptly he lets go, but doesn't back off. ]

Way you're actin' it's like you don't give a shit about it.

[ david laughs. he doesn't mean to, but it slips out of him sharp and sudden, disbelief more than anything. he considers telling evan not to bullshit him again, because this has to be more bullshit, but that won't get him anywhere. ]

Would I be here if I didn't give a shit?

[ who the fuck treks all the way out to argue about something they don't care about? he's put way too much effort into this, whatever this is, to have evan accuse him of that. it's legitimately almost offensive. ]

[ it's a good point. evan's not always convinced, though. he argued about a lot of shit in his life he didn't actually care about. maybe too much. ]

According to you, you got other people who could help instead.

[ it's said without as much accusation as it could be. evan considers, briefly, getting a grip on david, not an aggressive one but a different kind, because if he thinks about it it's been a while since david was last here. but even if that's part of the reason he showed up, it's not the whole reason. not the driving force. ]

[ so he is jealous. the hypocrisy of it annoys the fuck out of david, but pointing it out probably won't do anything. it didn't before. he just doesn't see the issue, evan can barely stand him at the best of times, why would it matter to him? the only answer he can see is it's pure ego, that evan wants to be king dick of the fog or some shit, but even for him that seems insane. ]

Why's that bother you so much?

[ evan gives david a long look, silent, glowering, considering how to answer the question.

blow it off? that won't end anything; this shit will just keep going. be honest? he's not even sure if he can be honest with himself. be way too honest to try and shut him up? no, that'd be weird.

he doesn't back off in the slightest, tilting his head just a little. half in consideration, half in irritation. ]

I can't stop you, but I don't like hearin' about it.

Then I won't bring it up.

[ david shrugs a shoulder, lets his hands fall idly to evan's waist. he doubts his issues run as deep as whatever the fuck's going on with evan — truthfully he doesn't care if evan's fucking other people, there's just a lot of messed up shit that comes to mind when he has to remember evan's fucking the other survivors. david's already spending more energy than he'd like pointedly ignoring the signs from some people when they come back to camp. ]

[ whatever evan's issue is is something else, and it's frustrating as hell, but what can he really do about it? realistically nothing. ]

Like I said, only ever mentioned it 'cause of your asumptions.

[ evan snorts. his assumptions. assuming that david wasn't getting any action outside of him? he knows that this whole place is a mood-killer, but maybe at this point some of them don't care if a smug fuck in black leather's taking pictures of them fucking in the woods.

he has to assume that it's with other survivors. even what they have took a long damn time, and it's a fight half the time. other killers - it's a pain to think about, even if he knows some of them do get action. willing action, even. ]

Yeah, well, you ain't gettin' it better is my guess.

[ the hands on his waist make him wonder, now that the argument's turned into a smolder. it feels deliberate, but he's not going to push just yet. david's still liable to try and break his jaw getting mad about something stupid. ]

Sure. If you want.

[ noncommittal, very much a "i'm not getting into this" answer. the truth is he's not getting it better anywhere else, not even close, but it's not as simple as 'evan's just better' because in a lot of ways he's really, really not. there's just a lot of shit at play here and not a single part of that is something david wants to get into. ]

[ he leaves his hands on evan's waist while he thinks on how to say what he wants to say like he's not even really aware they're there. ]

I don't even get why you give a shit about this from me.

[ why does he give a shit? that's something he doesn't think about much, but sometimes he does consider it. why does he get particular about who's coming out here? what about them? they're not just an offering allowed by the entity, most of the time.

it's not everyone. but it is some. ]

Does it matter?

[ his hand comes back up and grazes at the red marks his choking grip left behind. they won't bruise; he didn't hold on long enough or hard enough to leave a lasting mark, if anything ever lasted here. ]

Most of you got somethin' worthwhile.

It's confusing.

[ david frowns, feeling childish of all things all of a sudden. ]

I've got the unfortunate affliction of actually bein' attracted to you and your ugly mug, so I come out here. Simple as.

[ he hates this kind of honesty, the inherent vulnerability that comes with it, but he's not nearly as bad at communicating it as some people. but here, with evan? it's not just vulnerability, it's exposing a weakness. feels like the moment after stepping in a trap, watching trapper walk toward you. more frustrating for the fact that the few times he's offered this honesty out, evan never reciprocates, but david isn't even sure if he wants that this time. he doesn't think so. ]

[ he manages to keep his voice even, at least, a frown of concentration on his face as he looks past evan toward the wall behind him. ]

Clearly that's not the case for you, and you wouldn't put up with my shit if all you wanted was another hole to fuck, So I don't get it.

Edited (no more edits i promise) 2024-12-11 09:50 (UTC)

[ slow on the uptake as evan can be around anything resembling an emotion, he picks up on what might be behind david's questions. his hand pauses at david's throat, listening, considering.

he laughs - an actual laugh, short as it is - at david's admission of being attracted to him, because while it's not the first time he's heard that, it's been a hell of a while and he's not as ... well, almost-nearly-good-looking as he used to be. but, fine. people have opinions on that kind of thing. and now david wants to know what evan sees in him? why he doesn't just eject him when he's getting unruly or keeps letting him in despite everything?

the full answer is complex, and might make him think about who he is as a person. so he considers what to say, his thumb pressed lightly against the base of david's throat. ]

Ain't always about looks. [ how does he phrase all this without david hauling off and punching him out? ] Like I said. All of you got somethin' that keeps me from throwing you out on your ass. Couple of you don't get the time of day even if you ask nice.

[ although that's only a few who have. the really irritating ones. ]

You're a pain in the ass but that ain't always a bad thing.

[ imagine him admitting david's like him if he wasn't a consummate murderer and failure and wanting to get a trace of that back. ]

[ david tilts his head a little with the press of evan's thumb. that doesn't actually explain much, but truth be told david's fine with that right now. he was trying to explain himself more than he wanted any kind of explanation from evan, because sure, part of him would love that, but he's not sure evan could tell him anything that wouldn't just confuse or frustrate him more. ]

[ a lot of what evan holds back would, perhaps ironically, work strongly in his favour with david, but evan doesn't know that and david has no way to know what's not said, so he just has to try and fill in the gaps himself. or be satisfied with not knowing. it's just confusing, because in some ways he's sure evan accepts a lot more from him than he would from a lot of other people. would he clean and dress their wounds? let them sleep here-- let them sleep in his bed? ]

[ david snorts a small, amused noise. not always a bad thing. ]

Might be the nicest thing you've said to me.

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