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The first time Rhys had ever killed someone it was terrifying, to say the least. He stood there, pistol in trembling hands and eyes watching the body crumble onto the sand. Blood dripped from the two bullet holes in the bandit’s chest, the crimson liquid pooling around the fresh corpse. Rhys couldn’t tear his eyes away even when Vaughn was calling his name, the accountant tugging on his arm in a hurried motion.
But he just stood there, knees trembling and ECHOeye buzzing into life. Without his consent, the cybernetic did a scan over the corpse and came up with ‘vital signs lost.’ Swallowing a lump in his throat, Rhys allowed Vaughn to tug him along towards the caravan where Fiona and Sasha were struggling to protect.
He couldn’t remember when he was sat on one of the seats or when some water was brought over, but here Rhys sat with his hands clutching onto a glass till his knuckles turned white and wide eyes staring out into space. The only one who bothered speaking was Jack, the blue AI appearing just inches away from his face and head tilted.
“ So, kiddo, how’s it feel? Yah know to kill someone ,” his question was blunt and useless. He knew how Rhys felt. Rhys just let his eyes blink towards Jack, the grin on his face gone and replaced with a more serious look. “ Some welcome party on Pandora, huh? ” There was the grin, a deadly look dancing in those artificial eyes before disappearing. “ I’m surprised you even had some balls to pull that stunt off, Rhysie. Seriously, for a second there I thought I was gonna have to take over. ” He snorted.
“I killed him,” Rhys muttered and even though he just pointed out the obvious it answered so many questions in his head. For some reason, his brain kept thinking- kept hoping- the bandit that was now miles away was still alive. He clung onto that sliver of hope that the bandit would just stand and walk the bullets off as if nothing happened. But injuries don’t work that way and Rhys very much just killed a man in self-defense. He’d be lying if he said it didn’t feel just a bit invigorating. “I… Saw the life leave his eyes.”
“ It’s great, isn’t it? ” Jack was beaming now, giving Rhys a shark grin and that dangerous look crossing his face again. It was the same look he’d have when he was still alive, that blood lusting and hostile look when a worker got on his bad side or if someone tried questioning his personal life. About 99% of the time someone ended up dead. “ These people, sweetie, deserve it, ” their faces were so damn close now that if Jack wasn’t holographic their noses would be bumping and for once Rhys wasn’t pulling back in fear. He held the madman’s stare with his own dark look. “ That’s the look I wanted. If only you could’ve seen yourself, Rhysie. You were so damn hot and, hell, if I didn’t know better I’d say you're cut out for the murdering business. ”
“I didn’t murder him,” Rhys corrected. He knew that Vaughn was wearily eyeing him, believing his best friend had finally lost it and was going crazy. His lips curled into a sad smile. Maybe he really did lose it. There was no point in holding onto any bits of sanity; he’d lost his job, his other best friend betrayed him, his very obvious crush was in his head, he had just killed a man, and he was stranded on a death planet with two con artists who wanted nothing more than to get rid of the Hyperion workers and open the Vault. “It… It was self-defense.” He looked down towards his hands, dropping the glass of water onto the ground.
The glass broke and water splattered everywhere. It reminded him of the puddle around the corpse. Sasha was by his side instantly, checking for any injuries over his hand and scolding him. Jack just stayed still, the grin dropping to a sinister smile and figure flickering when Sasha would bump into him.
“ And what happens the next time you run into a bandit? Sorry to burst your bubble, but it’s not always gonna be outta self-defense. This planet, ” he waved his hand around, the holographic hand going right through Sasha’s face. Rhys reached out to try and grasp onto Jack’s wrist to stop him but instead grabbed onto Sasha’s shoulder. She gave him a puzzled look in return. “ These people, ” now Jack was standing just beside Rhys’s hand, leaning forward and eyeing Sasha’s neck. “ Are all out to kill you. Except I know you're smart, Rhys, smart enough to beat them to it. ” He knew what Jack was suggesting.
“Sasha,” Rhys started out saying, his words trailing away and both mismatched eyes watching the woman’s every move. Jack wanted him to kill her and damn it would be easy. His other hand twitched against his knee, the foreign itch for death making him internally scream. This wasn’t normal, nor was this him.
The Rhys back up on Helios would’ve laughed at the idea of killing someone, but the Rhys down on Pandora was falling victim to his ex-boss's words. It would be so, so easy to just wrap his hands around her pretty little neck. All he’d have to do is just apply some pressure and- “Can… Can you leave me alone..?” He asked her slowly and pulling his hand away from her shoulder, Sasha silently nodding and slipping away a bit too quickly for normal.
“ You know I’m a bit disappointed, ” the AI was floating beside Rhys, lying on his stomach and legs slowly kicking back-and-forth in the air. His cheek was resting on an open palm, blue eyes lazily raking over the lanky man’s form. “ One day you’ll see what I mean, princess. You’ll pull the trigger and it won’t be out of self-defense. ”
“Rhys, you don’t have to do this,” Fiona begged out, cursing out the Hyperion guard that hit her over the head for speaking. Rhys silently stood there, watching his friend- ex-friend- beg for mercy. To just think not long ago that was him, being kicked out of a caravan and begging to be let back in. “We’re partners-”
“Since when?” Rhys asked bitterly. He knew what the sisters were planning and, as much as he’d hate to admit it, Jack was right. “Since you tried selling us the fake Vault key? Since you tried kicking me and Vaughn out of a moving vehicle? Since you left my ass on Helios when Jack was trying to murder me?” Every single question was harsher than the last, Rhys finishing with anger boiling through him and his grip on the pistol tightening.
“Rhys-” Sasha started, cutting herself off when she saw the devil appear. Her uninjured eye widened and Rhys let out a shaky breath when a chin rested on his shoulders, arms lazily wrapping around his waist.
“What’s taking so long, babe?” Jack’s voice brought Rhys temporarily out of his anger, Rhys turning his head so he could face the older man. Even though he was currently using a doppelganger's body it seemed so real . Every detail was almost perfectly accurate to Jack’s original body and maybe even better because now, thanks to the doppelganger, he had a few freckles. “Just pull the trigger and get this over with.” He sighed and Rhys glanced over towards the two sisters. Fear was in both their eyes.
“You're afraid,” he muttered, turning away from Jack and his grip on the pistol loosening. “I never thought you could be afraid. Especially of me,” Fiona was always so confident and smooth, talking her way out of situations without showing any hint of weakness. Sasha was so sassy and charming, shooting her way out or charming someone into her will without giving up.
Now here they were clinging onto the tiniest sliver of hope that somewhere in this new Rhys he would let them live. “You know I hate admitting it, Jack, but you were right,” Rhys turned his head away from the two and faced his boyfriend again, eyes flicking between those heterochromatic eyes that made his stomach do somersaults. “I’m going to pull the trigger and it’s not out of self-defense.”
Jack’s lips curled into a knowing smirk, Rhys leaning in for a kiss and raising his hand up. When the two met for a kiss the trigger was pulled, Sasha’s body lurching forward and hitting the ground. Fiona’s screams broke the two away, Jack irritably growling from the loss of connection and tightening his grip on the skinny man’s waist.
“You fucking bastard!” Tears were streaming down her cheeks, tugging on the restraints and fighting against the guards. Jack tuted, one arm leaving Rhys’s waist and stretching out along the gun holding arm. He pressed their hands together, both fingers on the trigger as he started nuzzling his face against Rhys’s neck. “You are such a fucking pet! Look at you!”
Rhys knew this was probably true. Ever since he’d trusted Jack back in that Atlas facility he knew the older man had complete utter control over him. To be honest he really couldn’t give two shits. Jack started kissing up Rhys’s neck, pausing by his ear and gently tugging on the earlobe.
“Pull the trigger, sweetheart,” he growled into Rhys’s ear and just ever-so-slightly applied pressure onto the trigger finger. “Kill her. For me,” that was all he needed. Without a second’s hesitation, Rhys pulled the trigger and Fiona’s screams were ended. The con artist’s corpse hit the ground and the two sister’s blood pooled together.
Vaughn, who had recently entered the room, stared towards the murdering couple with an unreadable expression. “What, nerd? Never seen a dead body before?” Jack scoffed, pulling away from Rhys but keeping a hand on his hips.
“No, sir,” Vaughn shook his head, giving Rhys a disappointed stare. “I’ll send a janitor up.” He left without another word, Rhys dropping the gun and letting a shaky breath out. He never would get used to killing no matter how much adrenaline filled his body. When Jack’s front pressed against his back again and the warmth was returned Rhys realized that it didn’t really matter how he felt. As long as it made Jack happy that was all he cared about. Rolling his head back, he let it rest on Jack’s shoulder and smiled through the open mouthed kiss he was given.