[A very refined gentleman has arrived home with a very unconscious young man, the latter draped over the shoulder of the former. Nothing about this circumstance is benign.]
[He nudges the door shut with one foot, carefully setting Alex in a chair that he's set up in front of a projector screen. He's whistling Chopin's Nocturne in F Sharp Major Op.15/2 to himself as he ties the young man's wrists to the arms of the chair, double and triple checking the intricate knots. He works quickly; Alex shouldn't be out for long.]
[He is running so fast he can barely breathe, but the mansion's starting to fuck with his head. It's changing staircases, changing doorways, changing hallways...
He turns a corner and it's the wrong one. If he weren't already running so desperately he would've given up by now. Can't give up. Can't leave him with Dad.]
[When Alex first starts to wake up, he feels like he's made out of heavy stifling clay. He feels like he never wants to move again. It's that suspended place where you don't know where you were or are, only that the world is getting sharper.
As feeling warms his limbs, he realises that it's not just that his arms are heavy - they're actually tied down. He's tied to a chair. He was attacked. Jay called him to warn him. Oh shit, oh shit--
He shifts, trying to say something but mumbling unintelligably, trying to shake some life into his head, looking up but not yet quite registering what's in front of him.]
[He finishes setting up a few things on the projector before bringing one of the glasses with him. He holds it to Alex's lips and tilts it up before he has a chance to wake up properly.]
[He swallows some by reflex, and chokes on the rest, coughing hard and spitting to get the liquid out of his mouth. It's like shotting undiluted whiskey - there's probably a flavour in there, but it's lost in the sensation that he just swallowed paint stripper on fire.
Still coughing, he hunches over and tries to yank his arms up, sharply - there's no give in his binds at all.]
[He's mostly awake now, though blurred around the edges, and his face is dazed and frantic as he looks around for J. No, not J - he realises a moment later that it's the communicator broadcasting his voice. J's not here. He didn't get caught too. Thank god. He manages to swallow back his coughs and call out:]
Get someone, J, get people.
[Okay, those words kind of tripped over each other, maybe he's not as awake yet as he thought.]
I- [He doesn't want to tell Alex that he doesn't want to because of the hell that would come upon he and his father, so he just agrees.] Okay, Alex, I'm going to. Don't worry, I'm going to get you out of there.
[He speaks in one long angry hiss.] You tell a damned soul what is transpiring in here and our deal won't be the only thing that is broken, Jourdain Pendergast.
[He turns back to Alex, beaming.] Now, where were we?
[He tries to stay as still and small as possible, tries not to provoke Diogenes, tries to ignore the foul taste in his mouth and cotton-wool feel of his eyes and the sensation of the alcohol trickling and pooling in his stomach -- tries to get through this without the madman killing him.
Another thing he tries to do is keep his breathing steady, but that's a lost cause from the beginning.]
[What the hell is that projector for. Does Alex even want to know. Is he gonna have to wear a bowler hat and start calling people his droogs.
He doesn't react to the hand until a split second after it's already passed, when he blinks and frowns up at Diogenes defensively, drawing his head back. Pulling at his binds again is just as useless as the first time. What the hell does he do? Humour the guy, hope that Jay gets here soon, hope that he can do something once he's here?]
Uh -- uh... [don't say frightened don't say frightened don't say frightened] Warm? I don't know. Uh... annoyed. Why?
[ohfuckingfinally it's the door. He bursts in without nary a breath, taking a few quick steps and smacking at the glass.] Dad, what the hell. [He's panting, poor thing. The mansion pulled a house of leaves moment on him.] I'm here. I'm here.
Ah, so you are. [He let's Alex's chair fall. He stares at J for a moment before relaxing.] We did have a deal. Very well, have a seat at the table, I'll be with you shortly.
[He turns of the projector and starts to drag Alex (still in the chair) over to the table. Absolutely no intention of untying him.]
[Let's just skip back to the part where Alex was having absinthe poured almost directly down his throat, how about that? In the seconds it took for Diogenes to grab the glass and tilt the chair back, Alex had a horribly clear vision of what might happen if he coughs the drink back up again in that position. He swallows the burning liquid as best he can, eyes bulging, like a waterboarded prisoner agreeing to talk.
When the chair falls forward, he falls with it, his bound arms propping him up as he bounces with the impact. He's taking in rapid, wheezy breaths, and forgive him if for a moment he doesn't register the various interesting things going on in the room, because he's a bit busy trying to adjust to the heat and blur and the prickling numbness in his face.]
[He touches Alex's arm, very obviously nervous. He starts mumbling to him, like it'll help something.] I'm so sorry, Alex, I am so, so sorry...
[When he sits he sits as close to Alex as he can, constantly flashing worried looks at the boy. When he looks at Diogenes, though, he looks shut down. Dead. Trapped.] ...What do you want to know.
[He lifts his head a little - at least, gets it to sag less obviously - with a long expelled breath of relief. He even manages to focus on the end of Jay's tag.]
What the fuck was that stuff?
[His voice is a bit too loud and a bit too fast, at least to the people listening, as though he's trying to talk over something.]
It was merely absinthe, my dear boy. Nothing lethal, I assure you.
I've not even given him an excess of it, Jourdain, du calme. Though he did ingest it rather quickly. [Like had a choice. A pause. He looks vaguely concerned.] He'll likely be ill in a short while, you might want to move a trash receptacle over to his chair in the near future.
But enough with the tawdry details of imbibing! [He stands up and begins gesturing grandly.] I'm very happy for both of you. Quite unorthodox, of course, but since when have I required you to adhere to the established order of things? Now, in the future, I would prefer that the situation not come to this. [Sternly.] You understand, Jourdain, he did nothing wrong, but you had to be disciplined. I expect honesty at all times and you are well aware of that. What kind of father would I be if I did not instill these values in you?
... [Shakes his head, disbelievingly.] ... okay. I understand... Father. I'll.... [oh he's so forcing himself to say these words.] ..be more forthcoming with pertinent information in the future.
[A pause. He's staring at Alex, very worried.] ..Can I keep him in my room until he sleeps this off..? If his parents found him like this...
[And then he gets to watch J struggle with Alex, dragging him off towards his room awkwardly. He's careful not to jostle Alex too much, as he doesn't want puked on, and he has to do everything in the dark, as to not affect Alex's eyes...
And the entire time he's muttering "I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry" under his breath.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
[action]
[action]
He turns a corner and it's the wrong one. If he weren't already running so desperately he would've given up by now. Can't give up. Can't leave him with Dad.]
[action]
Alex? Are we awake yet, young man?
[On a nearby counter, he prepares two-- oh yes two-- glasses of absinthe.]
Come now, we haven't got all day.
[action]
As feeling warms his limbs, he realises that it's not just that his arms are heavy - they're actually tied down. He's tied to a chair. He was attacked. Jay called him to warn him. Oh shit, oh shit--
He shifts, trying to say something but mumbling unintelligably, trying to shake some life into his head, looking up but not yet quite registering what's in front of him.]
[action]
Marvelous, so glad you could join me.
[He finishes setting up a few things on the projector before bringing one of the glasses with him. He holds it to Alex's lips and tilts it up before he has a chance to wake up properly.]
[action]
Still coughing, he hunches over and tries to yank his arms up, sharply - there's no give in his binds at all.]
[video]
..D... Dad, you've... you've gotta stop...
The mansion, everything's... moving, and stuff... I-I...
[He notices Alex.] ..Wh-what the hell are you doing..?
[action]/[video]
I'm afraid extenuating circumstances can't be factored into our deal, Jourdain. Besides! Alex and I were just sharing a drink.
[He sips at his own absinthe and smiles.]
Shall I pour you a third, or will you be awhile?
[action]/[video]
Get someone, J, get people.
[Okay, those words kind of tripped over each other, maybe he's not as awake yet as he thought.]
[video]
[action]/[video]
[He turns back to Alex, beaming.] Now, where were we?
[action]/[video]
Another thing he tries to do is keep his breathing steady, but that's a lost cause from the beginning.]
Lemme go.
Haven't done anything t'you.
[video] pointless tag. ;-;
[action]/[video]
[To Alex, with a patented scary smile.]
Yes, I'm afraid that's the way it usually is.
[He starts to fiddle with the projector until it's running noisily.]
Now you, must tell me how you feel. [He comes around and passes a hand in front of Alex's face and waits for the reaction.]
[action]/[video]
He doesn't react to the hand until a split second after it's already passed, when he blinks and frowns up at Diogenes defensively, drawing his head back. Pulling at his binds again is just as useless as the first time. What the hell does he do? Humour the guy, hope that Jay gets here soon, hope that he can do something once he's here?]
Uh -- uh... [don't say frightened don't say frightened don't say frightened] Warm? I don't know. Uh... annoyed. Why?
[action]/[video]
Hm... the true effects don't seem to have taken hold yet. Well! [claps hands] There is always a solution to that!
[He grabs Alex's barely-touched glass, tilts his chair (and consequently his head) back, and starts pouring.]
[action] FINALLY
[action]
[He turns of the projector and starts to drag Alex (still in the chair) over to the table. Absolutely no intention of untying him.]
[action]
When the chair falls forward, he falls with it, his bound arms propping him up as he bounces with the impact. He's taking in rapid, wheezy breaths, and forgive him if for a moment he doesn't register the various interesting things going on in the room, because he's a bit busy trying to adjust to the heat and blur and the prickling numbness in his face.]
[action]
[When he sits he sits as close to Alex as he can, constantly flashing worried looks at the boy. When he looks at Diogenes, though, he looks shut down. Dead. Trapped.] ...What do you want to know.
[action]
Everything, I think.
[action]
...There's not much to tell.
....We're together. That's it.
[action]
For how long?
[action]
[...It's been a long time, he knows, at least. He glances at Alex.]
...At least a year.
[action]
[Fuck everything else, they're blinding him. He's squinting, and his speech is somewhat slurred, his lips senseless.]
[action]
A year? My, my. You must be getting serious.
[He smiles for a moment. He's more enjoying J being put on the spot than anything.]
And I assume, given the duration of the relationship, that you are both happy?
[action]
[He stands, quickly dims the lights, hurries back over. Takes his place back beside Alex with a very worried look.]
..Yeah. We are. [He thinks. He's happy, at least.]
...Just how much of that did you give him?!
[action]
What the fuck was that stuff?
[His voice is a bit too loud and a bit too fast, at least to the people listening, as though he's trying to talk over something.]
[action]
It was merely absinthe, my dear boy. Nothing lethal, I assure you.
I've not even given him an excess of it, Jourdain, du calme. Though he did ingest it rather quickly. [Like had a choice. A pause. He looks vaguely concerned.] He'll likely be ill in a short while, you might want to move a trash receptacle over to his chair in the near future.
But enough with the tawdry details of imbibing! [He stands up and begins gesturing grandly.] I'm very happy for both of you. Quite unorthodox, of course, but since when have I required you to adhere to the established order of things? Now, in the future, I would prefer that the situation not come to this. [Sternly.] You understand, Jourdain, he did nothing wrong, but you had to be disciplined. I expect honesty at all times and you are well aware of that. What kind of father would I be if I did not instill these values in you?
[I don't know, maybe a better one.]
[action]
[A pause. He's staring at Alex, very worried.] ..Can I keep him in my room until he sleeps this off..? If his parents found him like this...
[action]
Yes, I suppose. I trust you both to keep the sordid details of this conversation to yourselves?
[action]
... Will you help me untie him?
[action]
He walks over and unties them easily before stepping away, arms behind his back.]
[action]
And the entire time he's muttering "I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry" under his breath.]
[action]
Ah, young love. May God bless this union.