@ulsicsor | continued from x
"quentin beck" was the most obnoxious man harry ever had the displeasure of dealing with. he was as brazen as any self-assured "a-type" with an ego the size of planet earth who always felt like his opinions demanded to be known as life-changing articles of declaration in which his "ingenious" schemes were the deciding factor of any long-standing war. however, it should be stressed that such kind of blatant disregard for anything else is what made him dangerous, and he needed dangerous, needed it like blood on his teeth.
that didn't mean he was going to let beck get away with everything, though. now and again, a sharp jab in the gut of his stupid conceit usually did the trick in snapping him out of whatever boldness he was displaying in the moment. increasingly, he had this ... habit(?) of pushing boundaries, trying to lure out different reactions from the younger. a daring game, frankly, for harry was anything but predictable these days, where his rage was as sudden as a whip. so when beck leans over the pristine desk — all smug — it begs the question as to whether beck was purposefully taunting fate, or proving a point that the green goblin wouldn't so easily get rid of his star player. that's the thing, though. it's not about getting rid of anything.
it's right then he grabs the elder's face, fingers pressing — yet not digging — into bearded cheeks and pulling inward to meet halfway, but only just half way, the kind that left about less than a percent of space between them to skirt the line of "exactly" half. the kind of half that agonizes. the hold becomes incredibly firm, hand a vice-grip and elbow locked, preventing beck from forwards or backwards — trapped where harry wants him to be.
" you think it's that easy, huh? that you can just take what you want? don't get caught up in your own illusions ... —" and in his most private cadence, between the sliver of space between, beck's true name slides out as a hidden dagger.
after forcing it to hang there for a brief moment, he lets go, and falls back into his seat.
when beck’s face is suddenly clutched between hands capable of snapping his neck with the slightest of force — a fact he’s all too aware of . . . there’s a fleeting, frightening moment in which beck feels the closest to death he has in a while. he’s pulled forward against his will, his own hands finding purchase atop the desk to keep himself steady on the tips of his fingers. it’s scarce he finds himself at someone else’s mercy, yet here he is. eyes of the green goblin boring into his own. metaphorically blood-stained hands trapping him in a vice. his real name is breathed into the air by the other like a reminder of how short this leash could be.
beck is certain harry could see the flash of fear in his eyes.
and it’s the realization that harry might be aware of this effect he has on beck that solidifies the elder’s resolve to RETALIATE. long ago he promised himself he would never feel humiliated by another again. and fear is humiliating. there’s no denying how intimidating harry osborn can be, how powerful, how deadly. but beck wants to be the same. he wants others at his mercy, not the other way around. there’s leverage at his disposal, too. there’s a reason harry has only barked, never bitten.
when harry falls back into his seat, beck remains where he is, still leaning a good ways across the desk. he doesn’t give harry long to breathe. his own hand reaches out, quick as a viper strike, snatching harry’s tie just below the expertly tied knot, and he tugs once, aiming to yank harry a few inches back his way.
❝ get caught up in my own illusions? that’s funny, coming from you. ❞ his own voice is laced with venom now. play time is out the window. ❝ you’ve been fooling yourself for a long time. ❞