holding lethal conversations

Time of death... indie oc primarily set in the hotline miami universe. written by A.

[badgersclaws]

Iris made another face.

“Honestly, dude, I’m kinda surprised Tl- Fury got with him in the first place, much less agreed to marry him. They seem really different, you know?”

Her smile came back and widened to match Evita’s. Her new friend’s good mood was infectious!

Iris closed her eyes and enjoyed the almost-feeling of drifting up to the Tower. They were almost there- the very tip couldn’t be more than fifteen feet away from them.

William wasn’t sure how he felt about the kiss being broken. Getting intimate with Zeke now would just feel… wrong. But that at the same time, he found himself wanting it- if only just a little, and probably only because he was in a vulnerable state.

“…Sure. We can talk.”

He sat up with a sigh, unsure of what to do with his hands.

“I… Well, I’m gonna be honest. You… you still smelled like smoke.”

[morbidarrival]

“Oh, they are very different. But I think it’s in a way that compliments one another, you know? There are good differents and bad differents. I’ll admit this to you, though...”

Landing gracefully on the very top of the Eiffel tower, Evita watched the rain fall down on Paris and instinctively sighed from wonder.

“I thought he was going to end up with my brother for a while. But it never came to be! Probably for the best.”

Zeke’s face fell, yet only slightly. He didn’t want William to feel even more stressed out about the situation. He scratched at his neck and held in a sigh, looking to the side. 

Nothing really could get rid of the smell of smoke, could it?

“I... Figured, yeah, that... Mighta hurt.”

Exhaling, he tried to meet William’s eye.

“You ever thought about seein’ a therapist about it? Just... Y’know, just as an idea.”

[badgersclaws]

Iris adjusted to Evita’s pace easily, giving her another friendly smile. The sooner they were at the Eiffel Tower, the better…

“Shit, really? Wish I could have met you while we were both still alive…”

Evita seemed to be about as perfect a friend as you could get– at least to Iris. Similar fashion sense, good sense of humor, and, of course, drop-dead gorgeous… She may have tried to be something more than friends with her had they known each other in their respective lifetimes, but… There was no way to tell now whether it would have worked.

Iris wasn’t completely sure she swung that way, either…

At Evita’s comment about William, Iris made a mock-disgusted face.

“Ew! Trust me, girl, you wouldn’t be sayin’ that if you’d known him as a kid.”

William was on the verge of tears yet again… Only fear of looking even more pathetic in front of Zeke stopped him from breaking down again. 

He wasn’t sure exactly what he was expecting when he felt Zeke’s face get closer, but what he got was a pair of lips on his own. The smell of smoke was still there, and it took all his strength not to pull away immediately, but… He had to show Zeke he was better than this.

As he pressed more forcefully into Zeke, the tears started to flow openly.

He didn’t care.

[morbidarrival]

Evita smiled serenely at Iris, knowing that if she’d been alive, her cheeks would have turned a healthy pink. Beginning to float above the buildings as opposed to walking down the streets, she enjoyed the view of the roaring 20s from the air.

“That’s sweet- but us meeting now doesn’t mean we can’t have a little fun.”

Gesturing at the city below them, her smile widened. She hoped she hadn’t implied anything that would make Iris uncomfortable...

“Like we’re having now! There’s a lot less limit to what we can do than you’d think.”

Laughing, she made a gesture that implied nudging.

“Obviously I wouldn’t have wanted to get with him then, Jesus!”

Zeke was very gentle, half-cradling William as he felt him push into the kiss further, but he slowly moved away once he felt the tears. He didn’t want to overwhelm the other, but he definitely didn’t want him to feel like he didn’t care.

Looking at him with a look of sympathy, he wiped William’s tears away before kissing his forehead.

“If... If you wanna talk about it, we can do that.”

Maybe he should have offered first...

[morbidarrival]

Like this for a starter. 

[morbidarrival]

hesusedandabusedboy:

Ben watched them pass by, a smile forming on his face as he heard the man speak proudly.

If he weren’t so cold he probably would have responded, but all he could do was give a reassuring squeeze with his arms to acknowledge he had heard him.

It was only a few more minutes until they were in front of his apartment complex. It wasn’t very tall, but the building was well-kept and clearly spacious. Rolling his bike into the garage (nowhere near as great as the one he really owned, but what could you do), he dismounted it with confidence, helping Ben off. 

“My house is yours. It’s also two floors up.”

Opening the door that took them into the building, he waited for Ben to follow.

[badgersclaws]

Iris looked down at Evita as the pair moved forward, giving her a wide smile. Having a friend for the very first time since she’d died was… kind of overwhelming, but in a good.

“Damn, Zeke has style out the ass. I’d think he was hot if I wasn’t dead.”

Zeke was exactly the kind of guy Iris had been attracted to– a cool, mellow, attractive man with a heart of gold and rockin’ leather jacket to rival her own. 

Romance hadn’t exactly turned out well for her, though.

“Wait, is that inappropriate? Sorry…”

William’s breath hitched as Zeke brought him close. The smell of smoke was noticeable, but not strong enough to trigger another panic attack… It stressed him out nonetheless.

“I… I’m not…”

Next time? At least he hadn’t fucked things up to the degree that Zeke never wanted to talk to him again.

With a deep breath, he leaned into Zeke, even though every cell in his body was telling him to run and hide.

[morbidarrival]

Picking up the pace slightly, she kept the conversation going, giggling a bit at the comment Iris had made.

“Where do you think he got that style from?”

She offered Iris a playful wink, a new spring in her ethereal step as she crossed the street, stopping to admire the coats on display in a boutique. 

“It’s not inappropriate. I know my brother has charm and good looks. Don’t worry! Yours does too.”

Laughing, she looked over her shoulder before skipping off again...

Zeke hushed him gently for a moment, keeping a hand on his back as he was leaned on. 

“Really, it’s...”

Words weren’t going to do him any good. He knew that. He just wasn’t sure what else to do. How was he meant to care for a man who, until so recently, he’d thought hated him?

Pressing his forehead to William’s, he gave the blonde a soft kiss. 

[badgersclaws]

Iris couldn’t help but float a few feet of the ground, filled with excitement. This had always been one of her biggest dreams.

She stopped when Evita did, admiring the sights around them. Sure enough, it was breathtaking… or at least it would have been. It would look even better from the top of the tower!

“Well… A little, yeah. But to be honest, I don’t think he’d have achieved all that if I was still alive, so there’s that.”

What would William have been if she hadn’t died? Probably not a billionaire… Iris knew he’d used her death to motivate himself throughout college.

“I-I just… I freaked out on you right as we were gonna…”

William felt close to crying again, and took a deep breath. He’d expected Zeke to be furious, but understanding was… Well, it almost seemed worse.

“I’m sorry, okay? I probably ruined the night…”

He’d undoubtedly ruined the night. Zeke had probably been expecting a good fuck and someone to fall asleep with, but… William had fucked it all up.

[morbidarrival]

Evita laughed softly and continued moving, putting her arms out as she walked down the middle of the street.

“Funny, isn’t it? Your brother goes on to being rich, and my brother gets a fullbody skeleton tattoo. Well... At least he has style...”

And a pretty wife, and a steady job... But was he truly happy? Would he ever be?

As she walked towards the tower, she worried happiness would be unattainable for her brother.

Yet as long as he had Fury at least, he’d be alright...

Shooting him a pitying look, Zeke wrapped one arm around William and pulled him close. 

“Ain’t nighttime yet. You’re safe.”

Perhaps a joke would go unappreciated, but he was trying to alleviate the mood. He didn’t know how else to go about it.

“I didn’t really expect it to happen. Don’t worry. ‘Sides, there’s always next time.”

Another joke, somewhat. 

“It’s okay. You’re okay.”

[morbidarrival]

Quicker than fallin’ asleep.

18+ encouraged

read|about|other verses

[badgersclaws]

“Hmm…”

Now this was a real dilemma. The river would undoubtedly be beautiful, but it was raining… And the Eiffel tower was, of course, at the top of her Paris list.

“Tower. I think so, anyway… I used to be really scared of heights, but obviously now there’s nothing to fear.”

Iris turned towards the prominent building. It must have been visible from everywhere in the city… She briefly wondered if she’d even have been able to climb it in her lifetime, given her fear of high places.

By the time William finished with the water, William’s eyes were open and his breathing was level- although he wasn’t looking at anything but the floor. Silently, he put the empty cup on the couch before finally trying to speak.

“I’m sorry.”

He’d explain more if Zeke wanted to know more, but… Those two words pretty much summed up his situation.

[morbidarrival]

Evita smiled and began to drift towards the tower herself, looking up at the tip they’d eventually reach. 

“Yeah, you won’t fall off, that’s for sure.”

She stopped for a moment to admire the rain glistening on the cobbled streets, feeling the urge to sigh in delight. Paris was a romantic city, it was true. It was no wonder all the artists hung out here.

“Say... Do you ever look at your brother in awe at what he’s achieved?

“For what?”

Worrying he may have sounded insensitive, he reached out to pat William on the shoulder very softly, before letting his hand rest on his lap. At least the onesie was comfortable- but it added a layer of awkwardness to the situation. Dammit, today was meant to be good!

“There’s nothin’ to be sorry for.”

[badgersclaws]

Neither did Iris… Well, in a good, healthy, genuinely _loving_ way, at any rate. 

As the singing died down, Iris “got up”, reaching out for Evita’s arm.

“Okay. Paris. Rain. Bucket list. Come on.”

Iris led her new friend(?) outside, missing the door by a few feet. Looking up at the sky, she closed her eyes, trying to pretend she could feel the raindrops on her face.

Now that was something she missed…

“Th-thank-ks…”

William took the glass of water in his shaking hands, nearly dropping it twice within the first few seconds. Without opening his eyes–he wasn’t ready to face that yet–he took a sip. It barely comforted him.

He took a deep breath, holding back a sob.

[morbidarrival]

The woman smiled as her new friend reached out for her, and within an instant she was trailing behind her, looking once over her shoulder to say goodbye to the sight of the establishment.

Once outside, she ‘breathed’ deeply and stretched, mannerisms she no longer needed but had somehow not managed to let go of. 

“Want to head down to the river? Or would you rather climb the Eiffel Tower?”

Zeke was starting to be at a loss of what to do. He thought he’d be saddled with entertaining, not babysitting! He felt bad for William, but he wasn’t sure how to remedy the situation.

He figured all he could really do was wait it out.

Sitting in silence, he began to get slowly dressed.

[morbidarrival]

hesusedandabusedboy:

Ben admired the way the city flew by. It was far less glamorous on the bus, but from the back of a motorcycle with a handsome man to hold, the city charm he often heard the Los Santos elite talking about became just a little more apparent.

Tucking his legs up tighter around the bike, he couldn’t help but release a small shiver, burying the side of his face against Zeke’s back.

Zeke drove past the Boneyard, slowing down as he did so to admire the building as he so often did whenever it was night time. A surge of pride welled up within his chest, and he leaned back to look at Ben.

“I own that place.”

Speaking over the wind was difficult, and he thanked the fact his apartment wasn’t too far.

[morbidarrival]

WILLIAM HAS A SMALL DICK PASS IT ON

“He does? I didn’t think it was that small.”

[morbidarrival]

hesusedandabusedboy:

Ben could tell that the ride home would be cold, regardless of the jacket, but he readily accepted it, pulling his arms through the sleeves. Pushing the collar up close to his face, he closed his eyes and inhaled the smell of the man’s cologne and cigarettes, feeling heat burning in his chest. He exhaled deeply, climbing on the bike and wrapping his arms around the tattooed man tightly.

Zeke would do everything in his power to make it appear like the cold didn’t bother him. He had a cigar somewhere around here, he could probably light it once he got home and warm himself right up. 

Sleeves rolled up, more of his intricate tattoowork could be seen. He had little gray crosses littering the inky blackness that comprised most of his skin. The white bones were fluid and wispy, almost like smoke. 

Looking over his shoulder, he smiled at Ben before taking off. The ride wouldn’t be very long, but he’d pass by the Boneyard just to wish it goodnight.

[morbidarrival]

badgersclaws:

Iris followed Evita’s gaze out the window, and what she saw was pretty damn magical. She used to hate the rain, but… she supposed it didn’t matter now. She gave Evita a quick nod before returning her attentions to the singer, closing her eyes and letting the music envelop her.

If I’d known that this was what the afterlife was like, I woulda died sooner…

Iris’ eyes flew open. She didn’t really mean that, did she? It was amazingly selfish- it didn’t sit right with her. She’d had William to protect- she wouldn’t have just left him alone in the world for an eternity of French jazz. 

Right?

William let out a few more sobs, but his breathing was slowly leveling out. After the crying stopped, he just lay there, feeling like shit. His eyes were still wrenched shut- he didn’t want to see Zeke pitying him.

“N-no… I’m not.”

It was true that the afterlife had its perks, but Evita would give anything to properly feel the warmth of another. Alas, she’d gotten used to the solitude and coldness that came with death, and had instead found ways to work around it.

But she’d never get over the loss of food.

Sighing gently, she watched as couples cuddled in the audience, sheltered by the rain. 

She didn’t get loved on enough before she died.

“Well you gotta try, man, cause I don’t know what to do to help...”

Staring at William for a while, he slowly retracted his hand and guided it towards the glass of water. He figured the man was going to get a wicked headache.

“Here, drink.”

[morbidarrival]

badgersclaws:

“Yeah, the whole incorporeality thing seems like it could be more trouble than it’s worth.”

Still ‘blushing’ very slightly, Iris imitated Evita, assuming a sitting position in midair. She supposed it worked just as well as any actual chair… 

“France is nice. I never made it here in my lifetime, but it was on the bucket list…”

Iris sighed, remembering all the things she’d never gotten to do before she died. At least she could do some of them in the afterlife, right?

William tried to stay as far away from Zeke as possible, which wasn’t easy given the fact that his muscles seemed to lock in place. His crying remained consistent as the skeleton onesie was wrapped around him, although his eyes became significantly less glassy and unfocused.

Bit by bit, William came back to the world of the present, and he wasn’t crying for Iris anymore- he was crying in shame.

Evita giggled and looked out the window, towards where she assumed the Seine would be. 

“Well, if you’re up for it, we can have a tour of the city once this guy’s done with his song. They say Paris is magical in the rain- and since we can’t feel it, I don’t think it’ll matter.”

Looking back over at the man, she smiled softly, closing her eyes for a moment.

She’d forgotten what it was like to have a friend... She hoped she’d found one in Iris.

Placing the glass of water near William, Zeke sat down while maintaining his space, but it just didn’t feel right to leave William to cry so pitifully all by himself. Inching towards him again slowly, he held his hand out to let it rest on the crying man’s back, giving it a gentle rub.

“There, there... You’re okay. You’re alright.” 

Hopefully this wouldn’t earn him a kick. That would really not feel good.

[morbidarrival]

hesusedandabusedboy:

Ben kept his things close to him as he walked beside the taller man. The air outside wasn’t cold, but the breeze chilled him and he hugged his arms, rubbing them a bit.

This sorta thing was normal for him, being as skinny as he was.

As expected, a lean motorcycle with a skull-like insignia on the wheels was waiting for them outside. Despite its generally inconspicuous shape, its exhaust pipes were huge. He smiled to himself.

“Ooh, you’re gonna be cold. Here.”

Shedding his jacket, he draped it over Ben’s shoulders as he walked over to mount the bike. 

“No helmet, either, so hold on tight.”

[badgersclaws]

Iris blinked, barely noticing the actual transition. But here they were, in France- with the still relatively-new Eiffel Tower gleaming in the distance. Before she knew it, Evita had pulled her into a club where some crooner was working the microphone. Iris couldn’t understand a word of the song, despite taking three years of high-school French, but it sounded sad and soulful.

She tried to sit down at a table, momentarily forgetting she was a ghost. Upon realizing her mistake, she quickly moved away, the closest thing to a blush possible for a dead person appearing on her cheeks.

William was shaking and hyperventilating now, his eyes wide and unfocused. He shrank away from Zeke’s grip, seeming to recoil at his very touch and curling up into fetal position at the end of his couch. He could barely even hear the other man’s words, and any attempt to talk himself was useless.

Of course, it didn’t take long for the tears to start flowing. Usually, William would be incredibly embarrassed to be seen sobbing, but at this point he wasn’t even aware that he was.

[morbidarrival]

Evita observed the singer fondly, folding her legs as she floated in a sort of invisible seat in midair. Looking over at Iris, she sighed happily. “I love France. Sure, I’ve only really been here as a ghost, but it has a little... Je ne sais quoi,” she giggled, placing her hands on her knees.

Watching Iris try and sit with amusement, she shook her head gently. “That happened to me a lot too. Still does, if I’m having enough fun.”

Zeke was panicking. What had gotten into William? Looking around, he tried to remember what he’d been taught when dealing with someone in a panic. Warmth was one thing, right?

Grabbing the discarded onesie, he wrapped it around William loosely enough for it to not be constricting. Rubbing his back slowly, he jogged his memory. Hydration? Was that something?

With how hard he was crying, the tattooed man figured he was going to need water anyway, so he got up to grab it. He felt awkward doing all this stark naked, but getting dressed wasn’t top priority right now. 

Noticing no other presence in the room, he sighed deeply. He was on his own.

“What the fuck happened?” He murmured, filling a tall glass with water.

[morbidarrival]

hesusedandabusedboy:

Nodding, Ben stood up and wandered over to find the woman who would pay him and received the money. His eyes kept trailing back over to the handsome tattooed man who he would be going home with, and for once he was actually /excited/ about his job.

“Well, I’m ready whenever you are,” he piped up.

Zeke looked up at him, arching an eyebrow as he debated whether to take the little guy back to the Boneyard, or go straight to his apartment. He figured he’d roll past, just to be able to say ‘yep, that place’s mine.’

Snapping his phone shut, he rose slowly, straightening out his jacket. He hadn’t brought his own vehicle, so he’d called for one to be brought in.

It should be waiting outside any minute. “Let’s go.”