fic; au; tools
He couldn't be older than ten. That was what Isaak was thinking as he turned the keys over in his hand, looking for the right one. Or rather, taking his time to find the right one, because he knew which key it was -- the large iron one with the slight warp in the metal. It always stuck when you turned it, something that he had put on a list of things to fix but never got around to. It wasn't important, anyway. He kept silent, not for fear or some sort of desperate need for the illusion of presence or control, but because he wanted to. Issak very rarely did things he didn't want to, and even then... well, even then it was debatable if he had ever done anything unwillingly, but that was splitting hairs. The boy was also quiet, but it was the sort of brooding silence that had leant itself to his predicament anyway. Quiet watching, unusual for a child.
The key stuck; Isaak leaned forward, letting his weight move the door and the lock. The boy raised his eyes, briefly, before pretending to be uninterested in the wall. Too slow, though, as Isaak had noted the somewhat desperate glance. Desperate and all too cruel for a child. He approved.
They didn't speak. Isaak pulled out a cigarillo and lit it, waiting for the child to break the silence himself. Which, really, was inevitable. The boy had already shown himself both incapable of hiding his intelligence, but his cruelty and his emotions. That would have to be fixed. Isaak made a list as he waited, inhaling smoke and letting it fall. He tapped off the ash. And waited.
"What do you want?" the child tried to sound angry, and even pulled his shoulders back, the corners of his lips dropping down into a frown. Isaak took his time answering, noting the way the boy was trying to read him, judge him.
"Nothing."
And that would infuriate him. Isaak watched the twitch in the jaws, the slight curl of fingers and knew that he had the boy, hook line and sinker. It was so easy to manipulate children, almost too easy. Then again, compared to Isaak, everyone was a child.
"Then go away." came the sharp response. Isaak sighed, and seemed to be contemplating. Which he knew would only make the boy angrier. It was a shame that such a brilliant mind (to already be adept in both murder and the Lost Technology at such a young age) was covered by such blatant stupidty. Another item on the list to fix.
"I will not."
Confusion, though it too was shoved away. Too slow, Isaak noted. The boy was too slow when it came to hiding his emotions. There was much to be fixed, but the raw materials were there. Now, all Isaak needed was time.
"............." the boy stood up and took a step towards him.
Isaak had all the time in the world.