poisoned candy hearts

myron had meant to discourage their trysts, he had. not by his threats - but judah was furious enough he didn't want a thing to do with chevalier. not that he'd ever placed any wholehearted trust in the man, but he'd thought there must have been a grain of truth to his dreams of freedom and dissent.

and if there was any truth to them didn't matter. it only made chevalier a coward, a liar, a traitor to their cause.

he's seated against the headboard with a book. the room is in a state of ruin, as it's been for the past several weeks. judah breaks something - within a day it is repaired, everything immaculate until he does it again. from the corner of his eye, he can see the door open but he won't acknowledge it. he can tell clearly enough who it is and that he has nothing to say.

Chevalier

judah is long used to a quiet world, he's learned to make adjustments. there are only two possible visitors, and he doesn't want either of them around. he's staring at the words on the page but he can't register them, gripped by rage, tensing under chevalier's touch.

in a sharp, controlled motion, he tosses the book aside and finally fixes his attention on chevalier. his features twisted, scornful.

"don't touch me." he says it aloud so the point won't be missed.

Chevalier

he makes a point to look chevalier dead in his eyes, not to bother with his words. again, judah doesn't need to see chevalier to know what he's going to say. that he's sorry.

leave. he signs, finishing with a flourish, a fuck off.

Chevalier

just because judah won't play their games doesn't mean he's beneath them. he knows why chevalier said what he did, but that doesn't absolve him - far from it.

every word strikes a match, every word is kindling to the white-hot loathing flaring in judah's chest. it reminds him how lowly chevalier thinks of him, of livestock - stupid animals. his grandiose sense of self-importance, that his life is worth more than that of the woman he murdered on a whim. that every choice he makes is noble and rational and clever.

you don't understand what leave means.

Chevalier

his expression is twisted into a snarl. he shakes his head, jerking his face from chevalier's grip. he tries to sympathize, he's been a human in captivity too, but he's one of them now. but judah doesn't care about freedom. chevalier said it himself - they have nowhere to go.

you think i trust you any more than myron does? judah's motions are quick and sharp.

Chevalier

judah holds his gaze, unflinching in the hardened set of his jaw and the simmer in his eyes. he can see chevalier looking for a kindness that judah doesn't have in him, looking away when he doesn't find it. maybe he'll leave now, maybe he'd understand that he's become nothing more than another parasite, butcher, tyrant.

he's only watching with cursory interest, but when he turns back, when he signs the word - jealous - something in judah snaps. he can almost feel it in his bloodstream, broiling rage spreading from the base of his skull, splitting like lightening in his veins. hot. instant. in three thundering heartbeats he springs from the bed, hitting the ground and shifting his weight in one motion to aim a sharp punch to chevalier's jaw.

Chevalier

judah knows chevalier could move out of the way, could stop him landing a hit - but he doesn't expect him to. the feel of the punch landing, snapping his head to the side, isn't as satisfying as judah hoped. if he hits him again, will that help? his hands are still balled into fists, but judah stands, simmering, waiting for the next wrong word.

the king is more suitable company for you, right? he won't admit it, but he feels betrayed.

Chevalier