What if
What if inspired by the through the looking glass thread with Solo.
--
"Why are you doing this?" Miranda's face was confused and angry, her tone a mix of fear, desperation, and shock. It was out of left field. Or perhaps not, not from Road, who watched behind Tyki, a lollipop at her lips and her expression cold and watchful. Keeping Miranda pinned with her candles and her presence while Tyki casually looped an arm around Miranda's waist.
"Do you have to ask?" Tyki laughed, a bright, cheerful noise, considering the situation. He brushed a finger over her cheek, tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
Miranda shook, with fury or fear it was hard to say. "D-don't touch me." She hissed, shoving at Tyki's chest. He ignored the gesture. She was, technically, stronger than him, but he had her cornered, and she was trapped.
There was no escape for her and all three of them knew it.
Tyki twirled his fingers in a lock of her hair, brought it to his lips to kiss. "I don't hate you." He said truthfully, cheerfully, almost gently. As if that were reassuring. "I think perhaps I did, for a while. But I really don't, now." That got a look from Road, but no comment, he'd promised her her game when he'd defanged Miranda.
He was stalling mainly to enjoy the moment. And he was enjoying it. Her expression was intoxicating, and his fingers trailed over her cheek to catch every twitch of her skin, in all the passing emotions. Such anger. He couldn't feel anger any more. It made him mildly curious, that fury and hatred in her eyes. The determined set of her jaw.
He remembered being this angry. Wanting to make her suffer. He still did, but not because he hated her. Merely because, like all things, she was just another object to break. He held no particular malice towards her. She had hurt what was his, true, but thinking about it left him feeling hollow, as if a puzzle piece were missing there. But she should suffer, because that would amuse him, and because she deserved to and he wanted her to. That was enough, wasn't it.
"I was going to give you a choice." He murmured, lifting her hand and turning her palm upward, placing a kiss there. "But I don't really feel like it."
"Tyki?" Road was surprised. That wasn't the plan--and Tyki, while prone to changing plans on his whim, wouldn't mess with this one, would he? It was too important to both of them.
"Now now." Tyki shook his head, not taking his eyes from Miranda's as he drew a small circular object from his pocket. "You see, my dear, I don't hate you. In fact, I think you're marvelous company. But it would be a lie to say I'm not going to really enjoy this. Do try not to take it personally." He dropped the poker chip into her palm, closing her fingers around it, grin fixed and wide on his face as he watched her scream.
--
"Why are you doing this?" Miranda's face was confused and angry, her tone a mix of fear, desperation, and shock. It was out of left field. Or perhaps not, not from Road, who watched behind Tyki, a lollipop at her lips and her expression cold and watchful. Keeping Miranda pinned with her candles and her presence while Tyki casually looped an arm around Miranda's waist.
"Do you have to ask?" Tyki laughed, a bright, cheerful noise, considering the situation. He brushed a finger over her cheek, tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
Miranda shook, with fury or fear it was hard to say. "D-don't touch me." She hissed, shoving at Tyki's chest. He ignored the gesture. She was, technically, stronger than him, but he had her cornered, and she was trapped.
There was no escape for her and all three of them knew it.
Tyki twirled his fingers in a lock of her hair, brought it to his lips to kiss. "I don't hate you." He said truthfully, cheerfully, almost gently. As if that were reassuring. "I think perhaps I did, for a while. But I really don't, now." That got a look from Road, but no comment, he'd promised her her game when he'd defanged Miranda.
He was stalling mainly to enjoy the moment. And he was enjoying it. Her expression was intoxicating, and his fingers trailed over her cheek to catch every twitch of her skin, in all the passing emotions. Such anger. He couldn't feel anger any more. It made him mildly curious, that fury and hatred in her eyes. The determined set of her jaw.
He remembered being this angry. Wanting to make her suffer. He still did, but not because he hated her. Merely because, like all things, she was just another object to break. He held no particular malice towards her. She had hurt what was his, true, but thinking about it left him feeling hollow, as if a puzzle piece were missing there. But she should suffer, because that would amuse him, and because she deserved to and he wanted her to. That was enough, wasn't it.
"I was going to give you a choice." He murmured, lifting her hand and turning her palm upward, placing a kiss there. "But I don't really feel like it."
"Tyki?" Road was surprised. That wasn't the plan--and Tyki, while prone to changing plans on his whim, wouldn't mess with this one, would he? It was too important to both of them.
"Now now." Tyki shook his head, not taking his eyes from Miranda's as he drew a small circular object from his pocket. "You see, my dear, I don't hate you. In fact, I think you're marvelous company. But it would be a lie to say I'm not going to really enjoy this. Do try not to take it personally." He dropped the poker chip into her palm, closing her fingers around it, grin fixed and wide on his face as he watched her scream.