Robert focused on the bourbon, opting not to think about anything beyond how nice it would be to drink something rich and smooth on a yacht again. There was something soothing about the slap of water against the side of the boat, the call of the sea birds mingling with the wash of the tide that left a man truly appreciative of the world around him. Paired with something old and robust, it made for a beautiful night.
Stepping onto the deck, he noticed the way Joseph swayed immediately, like a man getting into a canoe for the first time rather than aboard a stable yacht. Wordlessly, he settled a hand on the man’s back, warm and centering as though he thought maybe the man had remembered the last time they were alone, drinking, on this very ship. He played into it, keeping his focus on alcohol and past relations as he urged Joseph to head below deck with him.
“Nothing we want overheard, I can assure you of that much Joey,” He hadn’t called him that since the shakedown, but it was all part of the game. He positioned himself behind Joseph and guided the man down the stairs, giving him no other option than to head deeper down. The door locked behind Robert, and it wasn’t long until they stood in the center of the cabin.
Reaching behind himself, Robert took out his gun and held it steady on Joseph as he took three sharp steps back and remarked, “You might want to take a seat. I have it on pretty good authority this isn’t going to be comfortable for either of you.”
It had taken him and Mary four hours to paint all those fucking sigils on the roof. The hardest part had been all the goddamn circles - they had to be steady, had to be perfect. They’d ended up using compasses in the end after painting over a few mistakes. He didn’t give a hint to this though, curious admittedly to see if this shit would really do everything that had been promised. A preliminary test had been agreed upon earlier - if Joseph could cross the circle now, who was to say the rest would work?
Joseph flinched when he felt Robert’s touch, he felt like he was going to snap as he tried to stay in control of his own mind, while also paying attention to Robert. He wanted to yank away and get off the damn boat, but he knew that with how determined Robert seemed that he wouldn’t get very far unless he gave up control. He had remembered all of the countless threats and promises to kill Robert the first moment Alastor could manage. It was the whole reason he had pushed Robert away, so the man he loved could be safe.
It felt like Alastor was bashing around in his own mind, he held firm, out of sheer willpower to protect Robert. He was so focused on keeping control and fighting back the urge to keep himself from vomiting that he had completely missed what Robert had said. Though despite not being able to fully comprehend what the other was saying, he let himself be pushed below deck, the sick feeling only growing stronger as he did.
Before he knew it, he was standing in the middle of the cabin. The words Robert was speaking slowly beginning to register in his mind. Something felt incredibly off and the middle of the room was definitely the cause of whatever that feeling was. “Robert… what is this all about?” he managed to mumble, taking a step in the direction of the bed.
However after a few steps he felt like had walked straight into an invisible wall. He blinked once or twice taking a deep breath, and trying again only to be stopped once more. It didn’t make any sense, he should be able to walk to the bed, at first he thought it was Alastor, that he had managed to get control of his legs somehow and was preventing him. It was in this confusion that Alastor finally yanked control away from Joseph and locking him back up in his own mind.
Slowly the demon turned to face Robert, unphased by the gun he let his eyes change to a solid black. Alastor smirked as he spotted the gun, finding the silly thing rather amusing. “Well done Robert, you finally found yourself a cryptid, is it everything you thought it would be?” his voice was deep and smoothing.. Too deep to be Joseph’s natural tone. He was calm for being very thoroughly trapped, having no intention of letting the other think he had manage to outsmart him.
“A nice little parlor trick, but it won’t hold me forever. So tell me what is your next move hmm? Beg for me to give you your little Joey back? Well I can assure you I’m never letting him go. Joey is mine.” Alastor mocked Robert, despite knowing that the human had the upper hand. He had underestimated the drunken fool, a mistake that would not be happening again.
