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chaotic-orphan · 4 months ago

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Partners in Crime (2)

Read part one here

~*~*~*~*~*~

Casper peeled himself off the ground, his limbs exhausted as if he had just donated every drop of his blood. Even if he did donate all his blood, Monroe would still expect him to show up to work, or get Dante to grab his corpse for another fucking job.

He wobbled when he got his feet under him. It felt weird, like Monroe had cut off one of his senses; taken his eyes, or deafened him, or plucked every nerve from his body.

Monroe smiled at him as he grabbed the wall for support coming in from the balcony. “There you go, Casper. Taking it like a champ.”

“Oh fuck off, Monroe.”

Gavin laughed at that, eyes darting between the strange pair. Casper settled heavy into one of the chairs at the island, where Monroe was sitting when Casper arrived.

“Was any of this necessary?” Casper asked, not thanking Monroe as he slid a cup of coffee across to Casper. Little bit of milk, two sugars, just the way he liked it. “You still haven’t told me why you did it.”

Monroe inclined his head. “I thought I told you playing coy doesn’t suit you, Fox.”

“You think that I somehow betrayed you and used my power for someone else?”

Monroe just stared at Casper across the marble countertop. It was Gavin who answered. “He doesn’t think, Casper. He knows that—”

“Oh fuck off, Gavin, nobody wants you here,” Casper replied without looking at him. “You know that, right?”

“At least Gavin understands loyalty,” Monroe replied, heavy eyes pinning Casper to his chair. Casper rolled his eyes, bringing the steaming mug to his lips and gulping down two mouthfuls, gathering his thoughts.

“Like a dog,” Casper replied finally, casting his attention back to Monroe. “Well, I won’t be useful to whatever plans you want to discuss for the next few days. You’ve ensured that, dickhead.”

Monroe waved the insult away. “Nonsense. You know me, Casper, I like to plan well in advance. Your abilities should be up and running by the time I have use for them.”

“How convenient.”

“It really is. Just remember how you got to where you are today, Fox. How quickly your life changed after you met me.”

“Not for the better,” Casper grumbled.

Monroe raised his mug of coffee in a sardonic toast. “And yet, you can pay your rent.”

“As can you in your fancy hotel,” Casper shot back, raising his own cup. “Partners, remember?”

Monroe’s eyes glimmered with a dangerous smugness that Casper hated. It was just so irritatingly superior. “Partners,” he replied coolly.

They both took a sip of their coffee. Even with the two sugars, somehow Casper’s coffee tasted bitter, or maybe it was the eerie emptiness in his body. The dreadful absence of something he couldn’t quite describe.

“Now,” Monroe said, setting his cup down and clasping his hands on the table in front of him. “To business. Gavin, be a dear and grab my papers for me.”

Gavin stood and nodded, as if following Monroe’s commands were his life purpose. His reason to breathe. Casper kept his eyes trained on Gavin’s back as he left the room.

Stupid git.

Monroe inclined his head. “He’s useful.”

“Yeah, as a footstool. Or maybe with a gag, he would be.”

Monroe smiled. “Mmm, so tempting, Casper. I could get the pair of you a matching set. I’m sure Dante knows a guy.”

Dante answered with deathly silence as he so usually did. Casper could picture him in his usual spot, sprawled out across the couch in the living room, a book in his hand.

Casper scoffed. “I’m sure he does.”

Gavin returned, sliding a manilla folder across the countertop to Casper. Casper stopped it with his hand and looked down at the stupid file. He didn’t want to do this again, last time was supposed to be his last job. He wanted to wash his hands of this life already, he was tired of it.

“Do you need Gavin to open the file for you, Fox?”

Casper raised his eyes to Monroe’s across the table. He clenched his jaw and pushed the file a little away from him. “I don’t want to do this anymore.”

“Open files?” Monroe asked innocently.

Casper’s expression dropped, exposing his irritation. “This. This fucking whatever we have here. Aren’t you tired? We got everything we want, Bass, let’s quit while we’re ahead.”

Monroe crossed his arms over his chest, cocking a brow at Casper. “You want to stop making money?”

“We have enough,” Casper grumbled. “The two of us, okay. You have your passive income now from your hotels and your real estate and I am secure. I have savings and shit. We don’t have to keep living like it’s all going to disappear tomorrow! We can stop.”

“I don’t want to stop.”

“Easy to say when you’re not the one taking the risks!” Casper snapped. The air seemed to chill with the snap of a book behind Casper and he straightened in his seat as he heard Dante move behind him.

Gavin, the idiot, broke the silence with a sneer. “You’re such a fucking pussy, Casp—”

“Dante, please show Gavin out.”

Gavin’s head whipped to Monroe, but Monroe didn’t even look at him, his hard gaze fixed on Casper instead.

“What? Why, I can help.”

“I know, but it’s getting late, and Casper and I need a chat.”

Before Gavin could protest further, Dante put a hand on his shoulder. Gavin looked between the two at the counter before letting out a disapproving groan and shrugging Dante’s hand off.

“Fine. Call me when you need me.”

“I will.”

Dread pooled in Casper as he watched Dante and Gavin leave. Somehow, Monroe still made him uneasy when he shouldn’t. Casper had known Monroe way before the other two did, but Monroe had a lethal way about him. In his words and his quiet power. The fact that he could beat the shit out of Casper but paid someone else to do it said everything about the man.

Only when the doors to the penthouse shut did Monroe begin to walk around the counter towards Casper. Casper set his jaw, not letting any of his anxiety show as Monroe undid the button of his waist coat.

“You’re right you know,” Monroe said casually, attempting to disarm Casper. Casper had grown with Monroe; he’d seen him do this same set up right before he added the dagger to your kidney with a smile. “I don’t take the risks.”

“I know.”

A razor-sharp smile spread across Monroe’s lips that seemed too large for his face. “Do you know why I don’t take the risks?”

Casper scoffed and looked away. That was a mistake. If there was one thing Casper should’ve known — one thing Monroe taught him — it was to never take your eyes off the enemy. A flash of movement caught his eye and before he could face Monroe again there was a hand in his hair.

Casper flinched, then froze, his blood pounding an erratic war drumbeat in his ears as the hand ruffled his hair. Casper turned a wide-eyed glance to see Monroe smiling, genuinely this time. Casper wanted to slap Monroe’s hand away like he always did, but there was something wrong with this picture. Some void opened up in the pit of his stomach ready to swallow him whole, but he couldn’t put his finger on what.

“It’s because I don’t have to, Caspy,” Monroe said simply with a casual shrug, but his eyes… the way Monroe was staring at him reminded Casper of a wolf looking at a particular vulnerable piece of meat. “I pay Dante to do most of it.”

Casper batted Monroe’s hand away with his forearm, steeling his expression once more. “Yeah, and I do the rest, putting my life and freedom on the line.”

A flash of movement and Casper’s head slammed against the marble island counter. Casper’s hands shot to the hand on the back of his neck which pinched harder as he tried to pry it off.

“Casper…” Monroe sighed as Casper groaned, trying to push himself from the chair and out of Monroe’s reach. Monroe hooked his leg around the chair and slammed Casper’s head down again. The thump of his head off the counter resounded through his entire skull, rattling his brain. Casper cried out, letting go of Monroe’s hand and instead pushed against the countertop. “Sometimes you can be a real brat, y’know that?”

“Fuck you!” Casper spat, spit flying from his mouth as he cried out, Monroe crushing his skull against the cool stone. “Get off of me!”

“Remind me again, Caspy, why don’t I take the risks?”

Casper didn’t answer initially. Monroe’s fingers went to Casper’s hair at the nape of his neck, fisting a clump and yanking Casper’s head back over the chair. Frightened eyes met warm blue eyes, smiling down at him.

“I’m a patient man, Casper. I can wait for your answer.”

“Bas... let me–”

“EHH!” Monroe said, mimicking the sound of a wrong answer buzzer on a gameshow. “Try again.”

“Okay! Fine! I don’t know! Why don’t you take the risks?!” Casper spat, the words rushing out of him as his head snapped up again.

Monroe stared at him as if he were a piece of meat. Casper reached for his ability pathetically, finding nothing comforting when he found the usual well of magic inside him.

“I don’t take the risks, Casper,” Monroe began softly, crowding Casper as he lowered himself slightly to stand over him. “Because I’m not the unregistered powered individual between us.”

Casper’s lips curled back into a snarl. “You bastard! You were the one who told me not to register!”

“Potato-potahto.” Monroe’s hand in Casper’s hair snaked over his shoulder as he leaned in closer to Casper’s face, a mock comfort that only made Casper’s heart race in his chest. “Point is, if you want to cash out and settle now when we have so much potential, well then… my good morality would win out and I’d have to report you to the proper authorities.”

The words stung something deep inside Casper’s chest, as if one of his arteries to his heart had just been severed. Like Monroe reached into Casper’s chest, plucked at the wire connecting his heart to his body and snapped the chord with a sickening smile on his face.

Monroe… he wouldn’t do something like that. Not to Casper, not after everything they had been through. Casper was the only family Monroe had— not blood, but as close to it or better.

“You wouldn’t,” Casper challenged, his voice coming out far smaller than he intended, trying to call his bluff. This was the first time Monroe said anything like this to him. Granted, it was also the first time that Casper talked about quitting but…

Monroe’s smile was anything but warm as he pulled back, patting Casper’s shoulder with his hand. A gesture of mock reassurance. “Do I look like I’m joking?”

Monroe straightened, pulling back altogether and began to undo his cufflinks as Casper straightened, trying to catch his breath and mulled over the threat silently. He felt sick, more so than he did when his powers were muted, but this was on a whole new level of control. Even for Monroe.

“Listen, Caspy, it’s not a bad thing we’re doing, and it’s not like I’m forcing you to do it.” Casper remained silent. He didn’t bother to point out the fact that Monroe was forcing him by blackmailing him into staying. Monroe’s voice turned soft, honey-coated words adding: “It’s for our mutual benefit, and you know – you know – I’d never let anything actually happen to you.”

Casper looked away from him, opting to stare forward instead out to the night-soaked sky that fell like a shudder over the city.

“You’ll see in time,” he said, unclipping his pocket watch and leaving it in front of Casper. “I haven’t steered us wrong before; I don’t plan on doing it now.”

When Casper still didn’t reply or look at him, Monroe sighed. From the corner of his eye, Casper could see Monroe run a hand through his hair. He was uncomfortable with his threat at least, Casper noted. At least he was still somewhat human.

“Tell ya what. I’ll have your bed made up in your room, huh? You’ll stay the night.”

“No thank you.”

“Nonsense. It’s already late.” Monroe said, gesturing to the windows. “Your room hasn’t been touched; I think your bed was stripped but other than that it’s golden.”

Casper crossed his arms across his chest. “I have an apartment. I’d rather go home.”

Monroe paused, glancing over his shoulder at Casper. Casper could feel the eyes boring into the side of his face, but he refused to look at the man. Even though his heart sped up in his chest. Was this considered being a brat in Monroe’s eyes? Would he hurt him again?

Casper stiffened, preparing for the blow.

Monroe hummed.

Casper risked a glance. It was a mistake.

“I wasn’t asking.” Monroe told him with a smile. “We haven’t had family time in a while. We should relax, hmm? Just the two of us. Catch up. How about a movie?”

“Bas—” Casper protested getting to his feet.

“You can choose the film. And we can order takeaway, that sushi place you like? I haven’t touched your room, but I can get one of the maids to make up your bed?”

Casper sighed. Monroe grinned at him, knowing he had won.

“Choose whatever, I’ll be a few minutes.” Monroe said before ruffling Casper’s hair again and turning away. The protests died on Casper’s tongue as he watched Monroe retreat to his bedroom to get changed.

He didn’t want to stay here ever again. That’s why he moved out in the first place. He had outgrown living with Monroe who blurred the lines between family and business associates in the blink of an eye. It gave him whiplash. To go from the caring, protective older brother to the cold-blooded bastard that was Monroe.

“Fuck,” Casper muttered under his breath. He really shouldn’t stay. He should disappear while Monroe was distracted and move country, or continent. Or planet if he didn’t want Dante to find him and drag him back.

Fuck.

He dropped his head, running a hand through his hair and pulling at the strands on the back of his neck, letting out a long, tired sigh. Pale eyes flicked to the golden pocket watch that Monroe had discarded on the counter. Casper glanced up, making sure Monroe wasn’t lingering as he grabbed it, turning it over in his hand to read the inscription.

Fight. The world has enough doormats anyways. - C

Casper ran a thumb over the indents of the letters in the metal. It was old. It was old when he got it from a backstreet merchant known only as Grouse. Definitely stolen, but Grouse always had a soft spot for Casper. And Monroe. The only real cost was the engraving that crippled Casper financially for a week, but it was worth it. To see Monroe’s face light up when he gave him the gift was worth it.

Casper sighed, putting the watch down and getting to his feet. After all this time, Monroe was still the only shred of family he had in this world, the same way Casper was Monroe’s only family. Monroe had found him on the streets — the two of them scrawny and skinny — and taught him how to live instead of just survive.

Casper remembered looking up at the terrifying boy a couple years older than him that had just taken out three guys double his size, probably triple Casper’s. Monroe’s eyes gleamed with something monstrous when he turned to face Caspe, his chest heaving as he threw down the lid to the trashcan he had used to fight the other boys.

Monroe’s gaze softened when they fixed on Casper’s half concealed body. “You just gonna lay there and die, or are you gonna fight?”

Casper blinked owlishly at the boy. People rarely noticed him, let alone spoke to him when they saw him. He risked sticking his neck out a little to get a better look at the hot-blooded boy. He had blood gushing down from his hairline, staining the right side of his face.

Casper’s eyes widened as he saw one of the boys get to his feet behind the boy. Casper didn’t think, he just moved. He dashed past the other boy, standing between his saviour and the other boy. He scooped the metal lid from the ground and mimicked how the nice boy fought. He smashed the lid up, not quite reaching the taller boy’s chin like his saviour, but instead slammed it into the other boy’s chest, then below his ribs before sweeping it against the back of the bully’s legs.

The hulk fell with a thud. Wordlessly, Casper turned to face his saviour who was beaming down at him. Up close, Casper could see the dirt on the boy’s face and the small red stream down his nose. His teeth-stained red. The boy put a hand in Casper’s hair and ruffled it.

“A fighter. Good. The world has enough doormats anyways.”

The words were the nugget of wisdom Monroe had told Casper, back when they were kids. It wasn’t the full quote because the engraver said that it wouldn’t fit on the back of the pocket watch, so Casper pulled out the important parts and cut the rest.

Monroe taught him the way to survive the streets. He taught him everything he knows; rumours were power, favours currency, and of everything Monroe had taught him, only the smart ones survive.

That initial mantra – you just gonna lay there and die? – echoed in Casper’s mind like an earworm, every time someone hit him to the ground, he’d hear Monroe’s voice and get back up.

Casper walked into his room and stood in the doorway, taking it all in. Everything was how he left it. His bed took up most of the room, a super king and softer than any bed he had ever slept in. His PC was set up on his desk in the corner of the room, his screensaver lighting up the screen. Casper made a point not to look at it as he took the first door to his right.

His wardrobe, a small box room with shelves panelled into each wall and a hanging space in the back. Casper grabbed black tracksuit bottoms and a hoodie, getting dressed in the wardrobe. Hanging his signature leather leather jacket up with care and throwing the rest of his clothes wherever they landed.

It felt good, like old times as he stepped out of the wardrobe and walked to his ensuite. He missed him, the old Monroe; the version that was like an older brother. Bass. Not the dictator who had taken over Bass’s body, the hard businessman Monroe, who took whatever he wanted and left nothing for anyone else.

Casper made a point of ignoring the small voice in the back of his head that told him that’s the way Bass had always been. That it was Casper who changed. He didn’t have the energy to deal with that kind of revelation tonight.

He stopped in front of the mirror and sighed. He didn’t look into it, but he could see the gash on his forehead from the corner of his eye.

Just wash your face, Casper, he told himself. Tiredness pulled at his mind, fraying the edges slightly. He didn’t notice he was tired before, but the weight of everything felt too great. Or maybe it was because he was in comfortable clothes.

Just remember how you got here, Casper, Monroe isn’t there for you. He really wished that voice would shut up for two seconds. Thankfully there was a knock at his door.

“You ready?” Monroe called from the other side. Casper nodded, realising after that Monroe couldn’t see him right now. “Yeah,” he said back, walking to the door and opening it. Monroe grinned at him. He was dressed in red and black chequered pyjama pants and a white t-shirt. His grin exposed his faint dimple that was so much more prominent when they were kids.

Casper followed him to the couch, settling in while Monroe pressed a button on a remote to lower the blinds over the windows. They closed with a soft hum while Casper scrolled through Netflix looking for something to watch. He had one hand on the armrest of the sofa, propping his chin up while he scanned the films idly.

“I called for Maid to come up and change your bed, and asked Butler to place the order for sushi.” Monroe told him, scrolling through his phone casually.

Casper hummed in reply. From the corner of his eye he saw Monroe pause his scrolling on his phone and turn to face him.

“Oi, don’t tell me you’re still mad about today,” Monroe said. Casper shrugged one shoulder, eyes still focused on the TV. “Caspy,” Monroe whined like a child, slamming his foot at Casper’s leg. “Come on.”

“You got your dog to force me to drink some fucking potion that cuts me off from my powers for who knows how long, and then threatened to expose me to the government for being an unregistered Supe.” Casper said, turning his head to glare at Monroe now. “Sorry if I’m a little pissed off.”

“That’s business, Casp. You know that.” Casper studied Monroe’s face, his jaw clenched. Monroe’s face softened, a cheeky grin exposing his dimple again. “Casper~” he sang, setting his phone down on the armchair. “You can’t be mad at me forever.”

Before Casper could reply, Monroe lunged and caught Casper around the neck. His elbow locked around Casper’s throat while his other hand went to his hair, knuckles poised and ready. Casper kicked out, forcing the pair of them back against the couch cushions, trying to break free. Monroe responded in kind, locking his legs around Casper’s waist, immobilising him completely.

“Say you love me.”

“No!”

“Say you love me.”

“No way!” Casper grunted, pulling on the elbow locked around his neck and pulling it off slightly. He couldn’t help the smile that came to his face. “Get off me, idiot!”

“Say you love me or I won’t let go.”

“I’m going to punch you,” Casper told him.

Monroe sighed, tightening his grip on Casper’s waist with his legs. “Then you forced my hand.” His voice grave.

Casper cried out when Monroe gave him a nuggie, bucking wildly as his hands reached for Monroe’s wrists and yanked his hands off Casper’s head. Casper planted his foot on the couch and launched them off the side, rolling until he was free of Monroe’s clutches, a wide grin on his face.

Monroe got to his hands and knees with a small laugh. “Say you love me or I’ll eat all the sushi in front of you.”

“Like you could.”

“I’m serious,” Monroe said, pushing himself to his feet. “I’ll get Butler to tie you up and you can watch me eat all the beautiful dead fish.”

The doorbell rang. The brother’s locked eyes for a moment. Then it was a mad dash for the door. Casper reached it first, smiling at Butler, hand out to get the food before Monroe barrelled into him from the side, and pushed him to the ground.

“Thank you, Butler,” Monroe said, fixing his hair and grabbing the bag. “You are a star.”

“Of course, Mr Monroe.” Butler said, his eyes drifting behind Monroe. Casper’s hand darted over Monroe’s shoulder, kicking the older man in his shins and grabbing the bag of food.

“Thank you Butler!” Casper called over his shoulder, dashing to the kitchen and quickly unpacking the dishes.

Butler hummed while Monroe groaned, taking Butler’s outstretched hand. “It’s good to see you both together again,” he said earnestly.

Monroe’s grin melted to a genuine smile. “He’s still a little shit.”

“As are you, sir.” Butler said with a wink. Monroe waved the old man’s comment away with a breath through his teeth.

“Psssh, me? Never.”

“Indeed.”

The rustling of cartons and paper bags drew Monroe to the kitchen, where he saw Casper sitting on the edge of the countertop, a piece of California roll between two chopsticks.

Monroe smiled at the scene. It was good to be together again, to see his little shithead of a brother again. Compared to what he was when they were kids, Casper was a man now, same as him. He didn’t need as much protection as before, Monroe would always be there for him. Always.

Even when Casper didn’t want him to be anymore.

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