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theonlymadmanonmars · 7 months ago

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It's cold out. Willy hates the Cold. It makes his joints hurt. Every part of him feels stiff. It reminds him of his mortality. Despite everything, His power, His plans, The fact that he can kill a man with a mere thought, Despite everything he's still Mortal. It's Infuriating.

He lights a fire and holds it in his hand. It does nothing to fend off the frost that's biting at every piece of his skin, but it's nice to be reminded that he can.

The castle is old and Creaky. Despite the renovations they've done to it nothing can account for the lack of insulation. Whatever. It's not like it matters. Willy is well aware of who he is and the power he holds. Mortality is temporary after all. Or at least it will be when he's done.

As if his day couldn't get any worse Barry decides now is the perfect time to approach him. Lovely.

“Hello William,” He says In an infuriatingly cheery voice.

“For the millionth fuckin Time it's just Willy!” Willy sighs and waves his arms dramatically ”W. I. L. L .Y! Willy. Not William!” He pinches the bridge of his nose exasperated. Barry has this unique talent for getting under his skin.

“Of course, of course,” Barry pauses his Grin spreading to his eyes “William,” He lets out a small chuckle.

Willy shoots him an icy glare. Of course Barry just keeps smiling at him, his zen masquerade never faltering.

“Do you want something?” He says bubbling with irritation.

“Well not particularly Dear, I just wanted to give you this”

He hands over a shiny crystal Cup that immediately starts shaking in Willy's grasp nearly cracking.

“Dont fuckin call me that–” He sticks out his tounge slightly as if the nickname has left a bad taste in his mouth– “What the hell is this?” Willy glares down at the cup. He sniffs it still slightly annoyed.

It smells like Apples and Pine. He read somewhere you should never accept a gift from an elf, But it is Barry. He doubts the man would ever stand against him and regardless he's sure that if he did Barry would not survive.

“It's Apple Cider, Dear.” He enunciates the last word as if to prove a point. “I know you don't drink”

He's right of course. Willy doesn't drink. His dad drank himself to death when he was twelve. The idea of drinking hasn't appealed to him since then. Of course he used to. When he was alive he let Ron pour his whiskey. Unlike his father however Willy was always a sappy drunk. That vulnerability did not appeal to Willy in the slightest.

“Why are you giving me this?” He looks up at Barry skeptically.

“It's winter Solstice Dear. The start of Yule. We're celebrating the return of light.” He swirls The liquid in his own cup around gently. “Me and Autumn used to celebrate together but as of recent events… Well drinking alone is no fun if you'd care to join me.”

Willy looks over at him confused. Him and Barry aren't exactly friends. Are they?

“Why would I celebrate with you?” He glares over at him. He really doesn't want to spend anymore time with him than strictly necessary. Barry's smile faulters slightly.

“It was just an invitation William. You don't have to accept it.”

“Fuck it. I don't have anything better to do” Willy doesn't want to spend time with Barry but there's not much worse than stewing alone in the cold.

Barry's smile meets his eyes. He tilts his head to the side as he offers a hand out for Willy to take. Willy promptly smacks his hand away and stands up on his own. Barry simply turns and starts walking to his room with Willy in tow.

The room is Infuriatingly well furnished. A large Bed with a Gold encrusted Wooden Frame sits directly in the middle of the room. The frame twisting and turning into one of his stupid perfect symmetrical trees. Surrounding the bed are all sorts of plants. Pink and Red Roses are littered throughout the entire room growing directly out of the floorboards. The walls have almost no empty Space on them. Each section is invaded by shelves holding Crystals and Candles that light up the room warmly.

Overall it's incredibly pretentious. Incredibly Barry. Willy isn't sure whether he should be impressed or annoyed.

Barry doesn't say anything he just sits on the bed and pats the area next to him.

“Did you just fucking Pat for me to sit down? Are you fucking serious?!” Willy glares at Barry, the pretentious Fuck continuing to smile at him.

“I didn't mean anything by it dear. I simply was inviting you to sit with me.” He says calmly.

Barry stares at him. Willy stares back. He realizes now that Barry's eyes are the exact same color as the leaves of the trees he's curated. A deep green with small flecks of Gold inside. They match perfectly with his impossibly long blonde hair.

“Are you going to sit down or not?” Barry asks prying Willy out of his thoughts.

Willy reluctantly sits down next to him.

“It feels like… even after almost four years of knowing you I know nothing about you,” Barry says as that genuine smile returns to his face. “So I think we should play twenty-one questions”

“That's intentional, That you don't know anything about me I mean,” Willy grumbles

“I'm aware,” Barry says simply “However I think we should get to know each other. Wouldn't it be valuable for you to have some Intel on me?”

He's right. He usually is. Not that Willy would ever admit that. It would just boost the man's already exceptionally high ego.

“Fine,” He huffs sitting up against the bedframe.

“Do you want to go first?” He says polite as ever offering Willy a large bottle of Apple cider. “Or do you want me too?”

He moves to sit next to Willy, sliding a hand onto his shoulder. Another thing Willy hates. The way Barry touches him feels consuming. It's almost Terrifying. Willy thinks It would be to anyone else. This man- Who's more monster than man really- Trying to devour him whole with just a touch. It’s Corruption, Abuse, Violence, Everything that Willy himself is. He doesn't move Barry's hand.

“I will.” Willy sighs.

He pauses deep in thought. There are so many things about Barry he doesn't know. What could be useful? You need to know everything about a beast before attempting to tame it. Especially one that plans to eat you whole.

He's thinking too hard. Willy has never had a friend before, and the man before him was one of the most annoying people he'd ever met. But… They were similar in a way. He could relate to Barry on a level he can't any other men. Monsters often find solace in each other after all.

“How do you know what this game is? Do you have this stuff in fae rune?” He finally settles on a more simple question.

Barry looks at him like he's a particularly interesting ant in an ant farm. Willy glares at him.

“Bill told me about it.” He explains. “He wanted to play it with me but-” he cuts himself off politely. “Well you know how Bill is.”

Willy snorts rolling his eyes. Bill was, to put it lightly, the most annoying person Willy had ever met.

“My turn then.” Barry says

He starts stretching. His casual yoga has always pissed Willy off. He pretends to think for about a minute, Putting a finger up to his lips.

“What's your astrology sign?”

“I'm a Scorpio.” Willy knows the bare essentials of Astrology. He learned very quickly that when it comes to magic, if Barry believes in something it’s probably not complete bullshit.

The Half elf grins his pointy teeth on full display. Every part of Barry is sharp in some way. His sharp chin, his pointy teeth, his long slender fingers ending in perfectly manicured claws, his pointy ears- the most pointy Willy ever has seen on a halfie, and his sharp cutting words. Every part of him is dangerous, a ravenous monster waiting for its next meal. Despite himself it always seems to leave Willy wanting more. More of him.

“-Compatible.” Is all Willy hears when he snaps back into the moment.

“Compatible?” He repeats dumbly not sure what else to say

“Our Zodiac signs. You’re a Scorpio and I’m a Leo. We’re compatible!” Barry says cheerfully as ever.

“What do you mean compatible?” He asks a slight snarl to his voice, his words dripping in a false venom.

“I didn’t mean anything in particular. It’s just an astrology fact” He says shrugging.

“Hm.”

There’s a long silence between them for a long moment Barry’s striking green eyes focused on Willys. It takes a long moment for Willy to relive why the talking has stopped.

“Oh. It’s my turn. Okay… Why did you marry Autumn?”

Barry grins seemingly much more satisfied with this question than the first one. He pulls his floor length blond hair out of the braid it’s usually confined in and plucks the flowers out one by one.

“Autumn and I were…” He takes a deep breath before continuing. “Dreamers. She wanted to change the world, as did I. I liked her quite a lot—“

“—Not loved?” Willy asks, cutting him off for the second time this evening.

“No. Not loved. I don’t believe I’ve ever loved anyone.” He cards his hand through his hair now shaking out any excess plants. “Regardless, I liked her quite a lot. She was my best friend. I showed her the beauty of nature and she taught me about the stars, tales of Gods old and new, and told me her dreams for peace among men. I promised to make those dreams come true. She loved me and I was very fond of her. So we were married.”

Willy looks at Barry for a long time. The way he speaks of his wife now is far more fond than any time he has in all the years he’s known him. It makes Willy’s whole body tense up.

“Things are different now of course. Had Autumn turned out differently the two of us could have ruled the world together” He lets out a deep sigh. “But unfortunately she found a way to disappoint me. Just like everyone else I’ve met except…” He cuts himself off.

‘“Except?” Willy inquires.

“Except for you.” Barry looks away from him staring intently at the Wall that infuriating smile still plastered onto his face.

“Hm” Willy doesn't say anything beyond that leaving unsaid words dangling in the air above them.

“How about you? What was your wife like?” Barry asks.

“She was an absolute bitch. She thought she was ‘chronically ill’ or something and did nothing but lay in bed. She was a lazy Bitch. She didn't ‘approve of my parenting style' but never wanted to help raise the little pussy.” He grumbles a familiar bite to his words mocking his now dead ex wife.

“She doesn't sound like she was the right match for you” Barry says gently.

There's something strange tugging at his words. As if there's more to the sentence. But Willy doesn't ask and Barry doesn't tell him.

“Yeah well she wasn't. She was… I don't know. It was better before she got sick. She was a bitch though.” He says definitively.

Barry tilts his head slightly to the side and hums softly.

“What's your favorite thing about yourself?” Willy asks with a smirk.

Barry can go on for hours about how great he is. How much better he is than anyone and everyone around him. He's insufferable about it. Right now, However, it could come in handy. He'd rather listen to Barry ramble on than reveal more information about himself the Half elf will definitely use against him.

“My intelligence. What's your favorite thing about me?” Barry quickly flips the question.

What the hell? Barry loves to talk about himself. He has a deeper agenda here. Something that Willy can't see. It's enraging.

“What are you playing at?” Willy questions, ignoring Barry's question?

“What are you talking about?” Barry asks plainly.

“What's your game here Oak?” Willy asks again. He sighs, Willy hates repeating himself.

“Whatever do you mean?” Barry isn't asking. He knows. He's playing with Willy.

Willy snaps. He flips around pinning Barry to the bed snarling down at him. Barry shudders under him, his practiced smile never wavering.

“You know exactly what I mean, you self righteous prick.” Willy growls out.

Barry does something unexpected. He grasps at the back of Willy's shirt the fabric rough against his fingers and pulls him down into a hungry kiss.

Everything about Barry is sharp. His kiss is no different. Sharp teeth desperately bite at Willy's Lips as Barry Claws into his back trying to swallow him whole.

It's messy it's terrible. It's terrible the way that Willy wants Barry to cut him open to lick his intestines and Bite his heart in two. To dig his fingers into his chest and pull out his ribs.

Barry has always been a beast. He has no empathy, He cares about nothing but himself. He's a ravenous monster all sharp edges and sharper words. So what could Willy do but let him devour him?

Barry pulls away gently Willy chasing his lips.

“What the fuck was that?” Willy demands

“We can talk about it tomorrow.” Without another word Barry pulls Willy down to lie on his chest.

Willy thinks about leaving, Walking out now and never having to face what just happened. Then again Barry is wrapped around him, hard edges softening. It fills Willy with an unfamiliar warmth. He settles into the bed wrapping an arm around Barry. He can stay, just for the night. After all, Willy hates the cold.